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Written Question
Animal Experiments
Friday 3rd February 2023

Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the need for a ministerial portfolio for eradicating the use of animals in laboratory experiments.

Answered by George Freeman

The Government continues to actively support and fund the development and dissemination of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) for the use of animals in scientific procedures. This is achieved through UK Research and Innovation’s funding of the National Centre for the 3Rs, which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of non-animal technologies, and through research into the development of alternatives by Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in scientific procedures and to avoiding unnecessary suffering and I am the Minister with lead responsibility in this area.


Written Question
Energy: Government Assistance
Thursday 12th January 2023

Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in the context of the cost-of-living crisis, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a targeted energy assistance payment for families that run lifesaving medical care equipment at home.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is delivering the Energy Bills Support Scheme, a £400 non-repayable grant to support all families with their energy bills. The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) will save a typical household in Great Britain £900 this Winter. In addition, families with disabled children are also entitled to a one-off £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment.

The Government is currently reviewing the EPG. This consultation will explore the best ways to ensure that vulnerable high energy users, such as those with medical requirements, are not put at risk of having to pay more.


Written Question
Post Offices: Energy Bill Relief Scheme
Wednesday 21st December 2022

Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of maintaining the Energy Bill Relief Scheme support in place for Post Office branches beyond 31 March 2023.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

HM Treasury is currently conducting a review of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme and evidence from post offices is included in that which has been received. The Government cannot confirm which sectors will receive further support after 31st March 2023 until the end of the review, which will report by the end of this year 2022.


Written Question
Energy Bill Relief Scheme: Post Offices
Thursday 15th December 2022

Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending support for Post Office branches under the Energy Bill Relief Scheme past March 2023.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

HM Treasury is conducting a review of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme to inform decisions on future support after March 2023.


Written Question
North Sea Oil: Shetland
Thursday 15th December 2022

Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of rejecting proposals to develop the Rosebank oil field in favour of investment of renewable, reliable, and affordable energy sources.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Development proposals for oil fields are dealt with by the North Sea Transition Authority and the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning, in line with their regulatory responsibilities.

Development of oil, gas and renewables projects are not mutually exclusive. In the British Energy Security Strategy the Government highlighted the ongoing requirement for oil and gas – for heating, cooking, transport, and industries – and the need to develop affordable, renewable energy sources to ensure the UK's domestic energy security.


Written Question
Fireworks: Regulation
Monday 14th November 2022

Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of updating fireworks regulations to (a) reduce the maximum permitted noise level of fireworks for public sale from 120dB to 90dB, (b) introduce a licensing system for the (i) purchase and (ii) sale of fireworks by and to members of the public and (c) introduce firework control zones.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government endorses the considerate use of fireworks and action taken to reduce the risks and disturbances to individuals, animals and property. The majority of individuals who use fireworks do so in a responsible and safe manner and there are enforcement mechanisms in place to tackle situations when fireworks are misused. The Government has no current plans to legislate further but continues to monitor the situation.


Written Question
Flexible Working
Wednesday 9th November 2022

Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of placing a legal duty on employers to make information about flexible working accessible to their employees.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government consulted on whether employers should be required to publish information about their flexible working policies in 2019. Having reviewed consultation responses from a range of stakeholders and taken account of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government decided not to take forward a legislative requirement. This conclusion was set out in “Making Flexible Working the Default”, which was published in September 2021.


Written Question
Energy: Conservation
Tuesday 8th November 2022

Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of delivering public information broadcasts on the most efficient ways to conserve energy in order to reduce (a) household bills and (b) energy consumption.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government’s public information campaign, Help for Households, aims to increase public awareness of the support available to help with the cost of living, including government financial support to help with energy bills this winter.

The campaign website explains the support available, including the Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bills Support Scheme. It also provides a tool launched earlier this year to provide homeowners with energy efficiency recommendations that could help save hundreds of pounds a year on bills. It recommends some simple actions people may not be aware of which could help to save money.


Written Question
Oil: Shetland
Tuesday 8th November 2022

Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of halting the development of the North Sea gas field Rosebank.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Development proposals for oil fields are a matter for the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) and the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED). Both the NSTA and OPRED assess development proposals in line with the applicable robust regulations.

UK offshore oil and gas production accounts for the equivalent of around half of UK gas demand, and over three-quarters of UK oil demand.


Written Question
Housing: Energy
Wednesday 2nd November 2022

Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing investment for the retrofitting of 19 million homes to (a) increase energy efficiency, (b) lower costs for households and (c) increase our energy security following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Improving the energy efficiency of UK homes is the best way to lower household bills and help the Government's ambition to achieve energy independence by 2040. Retrofitting homes is a key driver of economic growth, currently supporting around 175,000 full-time jobs. The Government is investing £12 billion in Help to Heat schemes to make people’s homes warmer, which can save households £300 - £700 on their bills. These schemes are making a substantial impact, with 46% of homes in England having reached the Government’s 2035 target of achieving EPC Level C, up from 14% in 2010.