Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will allocate funding to Future Proof Cumbria to develop targeted solutions for insulation in rural homes.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK government is committed to ensuring that no-one is left behind in the transition to Net Zero, supplying solutions that work for all buildings.
Therefore, research was commissioned by the Department to develop a definition for housing stock for which the presence, and combination, of attributes and contextual factors can add complexity to improving energy efficiency and utilising low carbon heating solutions.
The government is currently carefully considering the findings of the research, which can be found at: (www.gov.uk/government/publications/defining-and-identifying-complex-to-decarbonise-homes.) These will inform any future funding decisions.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to change the eligibility criteria so that people living in older homes with non-cavity walls can access home insulation grants.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has several energy efficiency schemes offering a variety of insulation measures, including those suitable for older homes with non-cavity walls. Eligibility for these is based on factors such as the household income, vulnerability and the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of the property. Consumers can visit the government’s home retrofit tool on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency to get tailored recommendations for home improvements to make their property cheaper to heat. There is also a phoneline service available on 0900 098 7950.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps help tackle retrofit older homes in Cumbria.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government understands there is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach to tackle the UK’s diverse building stock, and as part of this we recognise the need to ensure older homes have the right measures for them. The government’s home retrofit tool, Find ways to save energy in your home - GOV.UK, provides tailored guidance to consumers. There is also a phoneline service on 0800 098 7950.
There are a number of government schemes offering support for home retrofits and details can be found at the GOV.UK Clean Energy Homepage.
The Warm Homes Plan, which will be published soon, will be a universal offer of support to upgrade up to 5 million homes across the country, including in Cumbria.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it his policy to retrieve the subsidy payments made to the Drax power station.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem’s recent investigation did not find any evidence to suggest that Drax had been issued with subsidies incorrectly. Whilst Drax complied with sustainability standards, it had failed to report data accurately. This is a serious matter and Government expects full compliance with all regulatory obligations. Drax’s subsequent £25 million redress payment underscores the robustness of the regulatory system.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with international partners on the future of the JET fusion project.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy
JET has been at the forefront of fusion research and innovation, and its final experiments produced a world record in energy output. However, JET is now 40 years old. An evaluation undertaken by EUROfusion in 2016 concluded that upgrades to JET did not provide value for money and it was decided to plan for the end of scientific operations. JET decommissioning will generate valuable knowledge for future fusion endeavours, alongside UK investment in new facilities. We are not aware of any instances where the decommissioning of JET has been raised by the EU Commission in discussion with UK ministers.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what data his Department holds on the number of smart meters installed that are reported as faulty, by constituency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department does not hold data on smart meters operating in traditional mode at constituency level. Data held by the Department is reported at Great Britain-wide level and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/smart-meters-statistics. Smart meters operating in traditional mode continue to record energy usage accurately but do not send automatic readings to energy suppliers.