Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ban businesses found to have mis-sold green deal products from setting up (a) similar and (b) linked businesses again.

Green Deal Providers, who are responsible under the scheme for selling Green Deal Plans, must be authorised by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. The authorisation process involves assessment of a wide range of factors, including the ability to comply with the Green Deal Framework Regulations and Code of Practice, in which past history of the applicant and its principals can be taken into account. Authorisation can be withdrawn if a firm is found to have breached the terms of the scheme or other consumer protection legislation.

In addition, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) can remove or restrict a firm’s permission to engage in FCA-regulated activities, including consumer credit lending or broking, or take other supervisory or enforcement action against regulated firms and individuals.

The Government is reviewing the Green Deal scheme and the interests of the consumer will be foremost in the review. We will consult on any significant changes to the scheme.