Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to (a) encourage commercial property owners to improve energy efficiency and (b) reduce energy wastage, in the context of duties set out in Section 1 of the Climate Change Act 2008.

Commercial landlords are already required to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards to improve energy efficiency and the Government has consulted on strengthening these, and we will publish the response early next year. Our energy advice service pilot in the West Midlands is delivering subsidised energy assessments and grant funding for energy efficiency measures to Small and Medium Enterprise’s (SMEs) in the region and we are currently considering options for longer term support for SME decarbonisation. Mandatory energy audits required under the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme also provide large businesses with cost-effective ways to save energy and reduce bills.