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 (a) suitability of gas operators current rights of entry and (b) effectiveness of the communication of those rights to vulnerable customers.

The Government reviewed regulations on Powers of Entry in 2014, including provisions within The Gas Act 1986 that allow a Gas Operator to apply for a warrant for essential safety reasons or as an action of last resort for non-payment of supply. Details of this review can be found online at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/380176/44666_Un-Act_DECC_Powers_of_Entry_accessible.pdf

Under these rules, with limited exceptions, a customer must receive written notice before an application is made, and a Magistrate must decide whether the operator has effectively communicated their rights to a customer, before granting a warrant.

If a prepayment meter is to be installed to recover a debt, the supplier must demonstrate that it is safe, and reasonable and practicable for a domestic customer to use one and Ofgem supply licence conditions prohibit exercising a warrant to recover costs where this would be severely traumatic to that customer due to existing vulnerabilities.

Ofgem monitors energy companies performance, including on installation prepayment meters under warrant, as part of their social obligations reporting. The most recent report can be found online at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/system/files/docs/2018/11/vulnerability_report_2018.pdf.