Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent progress his Department has made towards publishing the details of the Warm Homes Plan.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are working across Government on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan to cut energy bills for good, we will publish more details soon.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent progress his Department has made towards publishing the details of how funding will be allocated to different schemes under the Warm Homes Plan.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are working across government on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan to cut energy bills for good.
At almost £15 billion, the Warm Homes Plan is the single biggest public investment programme in energy efficiency in UK history. This includes £1.5 billion increased capital in this Budget to support driving forwards with home upgrades.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work of 20 June 2023 on Cost of Living Support, whether he plans to publish details of his Department's consultations on the potential merits of social tariffs on energy.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
As set out in the autumn statement, we are exploring the best approach to consumer protection from April 2024, as part of wider retail market reforms.
Up to then, in response to higher prices, we have put in place the Energy Price Guarantee and provided significant additional support to help those who need it most through this winter and into 2023-24.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work of 20 June 2023 on Cost of Living Support, when his Department plans to complete its analysis of the potential merits of social tariffs on energy.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
As set out in the autumn statement, we are exploring the best approach to consumer protection from April 2024, as part of wider retail market reforms.
As part of this work, officials are discussing options with and assessing evidence from stakeholders, including disability organisations.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work of 20 June 2023 on Cost of Living Support, what discussions he has had with disabled (a) people and (b) organisations on the potential merits of social tariffs on energy.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
As set out in the autumn statement, the Government is exploring the best approach to consumer protection from April 2024, as part of wider retail market reforms.
As part of this work, officials have had discussions with disability organisations, including Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Carer’s Trust, Centre for Sustainable Energy, Citizen’s Advice, Fair by Design, Leonard Cheshire, Leukaemia Care, Parkinson’s UK and SCOPE. Minister Solloway has also met with disability organisations.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to support people in local authority funded nursing homes who lack mental capacity and do not have anyone with power of attorney to access energy support schemes.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Partially or wholly self-funded care home residents are eligible to apply for support under the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding. Family members, friends, and carers of eligible care home residents can apply on their behalf if they do not have the mental capacity to do so, as long as the residents’ details are provided. If applying through the contact centre, eligible residents can also provide verbal consent for trusted individuals to apply on their behalf.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what proportion of people employed within his Department have recorded that they have a disability.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero employees remain employed by their previous departments until the new department is established by a Transfer of Functions order. Data for Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) employees can be found below.
For BEIS, the proportion of people employed by the Department who recorded that they had a disability was 11% as of 28 February 2023.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
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 the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the (a) cost of energy for people with disabilities and (b) introduction of a social tariff.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Government Ministers meet regularly to discuss a wide range of issues.
Officials from HM Treasury and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero are working closely with a range of stakeholders to assess options, including social tariffs, for a new approach to consumer protection from 2024.
As part of this, the Government are working with disability organisations to assess the cost and affordability of energy for people with disabilities.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
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 to announce details of the energy support for heat network customers which will replace existing schemes at the end of March 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Domestic heat network customers currently receive support on their heating and hot water bills via the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. The Government is developing options to ensure these domestic consumers benefit from support in line with other domestic users after April 2023. Further information on a successor scheme will be available soon.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what energy support will be available for heat network customers when the existing schemes come to an end in March 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Domestic heat network customers currently receive support on their heating and hot water bills via the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. The Government is developing options to ensure these domestic consumers benefit from support in line with other domestic users after April 2023. Further information on a successor scheme will be available soon.