Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to introduce legislative proposals regulating the heat networks sector.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Queen’s Speech on 10th May confirmed that the Government has now committed to legislating to regulate the heat networks market in this parliamentary session as part of the Energy Security Bill. In December 2021, the Government announced that Ofgem will take on the role of heat networks regulator.
Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what regulations currently apply to district heating schemes to protect consumers; and whether he is considering introducing further regulations of that nature.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Until now, there have been no sector specific protections for heat network consumers, unlike for people on other utilities such as gas, electricity or water. However, heat networks consumers have had some protection through The Heat Network Metering and Billing Regulations 2014 (HNMBR). HNMBR 2014 (as amended in 2015 and 2020) contain requirements related to the notification of heat networks and to the metering of heat and cooling as well as billing for customers on heat networks. Heat meters support fair and transparent billing based on actual consumption and can drive energy efficiency savings and cost reductions.
We recognise the need to ensure heat network consumers receive a fair price for their heating. That is why we are committed to legislating within this parliament to regulate the heat networks sector and in December we announced that Ofgem will take on the role of regulator. We will therefore give Ofgem new powers to regulate prices in this sector as a matter of priority. This will enable equivalent protection for domestic heat network customers as well as ensuring heat network operators are securing good purchasing deals for their consumers. This will mean that consumers are charged a fair rate for heating whilst encouraging investment in heat networks.
Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to remove unsafe or non-compliant motorcycle rider protective equipment from sale.
Answered by Paul Scully
Frontline enforcement of personal protective equipment (PPE) for consumer use, including the removal from sale of unsafe or non-compliant motorcycle rider protective equipment, is conducted by local trading standards authorities supported by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), and by the Health and Safety Executive where it is used in the workplace. OPSS has been working with the PPE trade association and its Primary Authority where specific allegations of non-compliance have been made.
Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much taxpayers’ money each trade union has (a) registered with the Certification Officer and (b) claimed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, according to information held by HM Revenue and Customs.
Answered by Paul Scully
Trade unions do not register taxpayer’s money with the Certification Officer. Section 32 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 requires trade unions to provide an annual return to the Certification Officer detailing their income and expenditure for a given period. Trade unions are not required to include specific details of payments received from Government departments, agencies or arms-length bodies in this annual return.
The Government is not able to publish information about employers who have used the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and who are also trade unions. This is in relation to HMRC’s duty of confidentiality. HMRC cannot publish identifying information that relates to one of its functions. The CJRS is one of HMRC’s functions and publishing a list of organisations would provide identifying information.