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 4 February 2022 to Question 115831, on Energy Company Obligation, if he will take steps to ensure that the transition between the end of ECO3 and the start of ECO4 will not negatively impact vulnerable consumers and the insulation industry.

The Government consulted on continuing a scheme that supports low income and vulnerable or fuel poor households across Great Britain, including a carry-over mechanism, which enables suppliers to continue delivery above their existing obligation, to count towards ECO4. ECO4 will also focus more on fabric first delivery. Together with the minimum energy efficiency requirement, this will incentivise greater uptake in more insulation measures. Furthermore, the Government expects that many of the least energy efficient homes will require solid wall insulation to meet the minimum energy efficiency requirement. However, to provide certainty and support to the supply chain, the Government is proposing to have a solid wall insulation target. The target consulted on was 22,000 per year. The Government will issue a response to the ECO4 consultation shortly.