Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) representatives of the insurance industry on compensation for businesses affected by the outbreak of covid 19.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Government is well prepared for this type of outbreak. The Department is frequently communicating with business representative organisations, including the Association of British Insurers, to gain current intelligence on Covid-19 and its impact on businesses.
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Chancellor of the Exchequer are currently working together to take all necessary steps to understand the effect of Covid-19 and to respond.
Last week, the Government confirmed that for those businesses which do have a policy that covers pandemics, the Government’s action is sufficient and will allow businesses to make an insurance claim against their policy.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to bring forward regulations on the amount that companies can charge when their services automatically renew; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government is committed to tackling so-called subscriptions traps and other business practices that harm consumers.
In response to specific complaints about these practices in telecoms, insurance, and cash savings, regulators (Ofcom and the FCA) are taking action to ensure that longstanding customers are not charged more. For example, Ofcom has agreed with most major mobile and broadband providers to give discounts to customers that have been paying high “out of contract” prices in mobile and broadband.
The Government will consult on stronger enforcement powers to ensure harmful trading practices like these are tackled.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what meetings her Department has had with Bristol City Council to discuss preparations for the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the effect on the (a) digital, (b) cultural, (c) media and (d) sport sectors of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans the Government has to support community energy generation after the closure of the feed-in-tariff scheme in March 2019.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Government is considering its future approach and what measures might be taken to support the efforts of community organisations who want to invest in low-carbon energy installations as part of its consultation on a Smart Export Guarantee which was published on 8 January. The consultation is open until 5 March and can be assessed here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-for-small-scale-low-carbon-generation
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2018 to Question 159646 on Energy: Housing, how many applications for feed-in tariffs were (a) made and (b) approved for of properties with an energy performance certificate of D and above between June 2016 and June 2017.
Answered by Claire Perry
The central Feed-In Tariffs (FIT) register does not record the number of applications made. Between 1 June 2016 and 31 May 2017 there were 17,132 installations with an energy performance certificate of D and above accredited under the scheme.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
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 effect on the level of UK carbon emissions of fugitive emissions from fracking.
Answered by Claire Perry
Management of fugitive emissions is covered by the Environment Agency permit. As part of the permit application, the operator will need to describe the management of fugitive emissions in an ‘emissions management plan’.
During operations the operator will be required to undertake environmental monitoring, including emissions monitoring, to demonstrate compliance with their permits. In some cases, depending on the risks presented by a site or community concerns, the Environment Agency may carry out extra monitoring themselves.
As a further safeguard, the Infrastructure Act 2015 makes it clear that hydraulic fracturing activities cannot take place unless appropriate arrangements have been made for monitoring emissions of methane into the air.
In addition, the Government is grant funding an environmental monitoring programme led by the British Geological Survey (BGS) in the Fylde (Lancashire) and Kirby Misperton (North Yorkshire), where applications for shale gas wells have been made.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2018 to Question 159646 on Energy: Housing, how many applications for feed-in tariffs were (a) made and (b) approved in respect of properties with an energy performance certificate of D and above between June 2015 and June 2016.
Answered by Claire Perry
The central Feed-In Tariffs (FIT) register does not record the number of applications made. Between 1 June 2015 and 31 May 2016 there were 140,014 installations with an energy performance certificate of D and above accredited under the scheme.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
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 maintain alignment with EU climate change policy after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Claire Perry
UK government’s action to tackle climate change is framed by the Climate Change Act. This is domestic legislation and is therefore unaffected by exiting the EU.
The UK is committed to international cooperation, including with the EU, on issues of shared interest including climate change.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes in the UK are in Energy Performance Band D or higher.
Answered by Claire Perry
Latest figures for the number of homes (thousands) in Energy Performance Band D or higher and Band E or lower for England and the Devolved Nations.
| England (2016) | Scotland (2016) | Northern Ireland (2016) | Wales (2008) |
Band D or higher (thousands) | 18,290 | 2,031 | 643 | 558 |
Band E or lower (thousands) | 4,707 | 422 | 99 | 711 |
Total number of homes (thousands) | 22,996 | 2,452 | 742 | 1,268 |
Figures may not sum to totals due to rounding | ||||
Please note, these figures should not be summed to give a UK total, or compared between nations due to the following differences:
(1) The latest data available for Wales is from 2008, 2016 data will be published in November 2018.
(2) Figures for Wales relate to number of dwellings (which includes vacant properties) whereas figures for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland relate to number of households (excluding vacant properties).
(3) Each nation uses a different methodology for calculating Energy Performance. The main difference being Welsh figures are based on SAP 2005, whereas figures for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland are based on SAP 2012.
Data sources
MHCLG. (2016). English Housing Survey.
Scottish Government. (2016). Scottish House Condition Survey.
Housing Executive. (2016). Northern Ireland House Condition Survey.
Welsh Government. (2008). Living in Wales Survey.