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 5 July 2021 to Question 24871 on Energy: Meters, and with reference to paragraph 17 of Annex B of the Government’s response to the consultation on the smart meter policy framework post 2020: minimum annual targets and reporting thresholds for energy suppliers, dated June 2021, what policy measures the Government is planning to assess, develop and research to reach the very highest levels of coverage by the end of the Framework; and what estimate his Department had made of when that coverage will be reached.

A number of policy measures have been considered and are already being implemented. These include publishing guidance to construction companies and other parties to support installation of smart meters in domestic new builds; confirmation that recipients of future Warm Home Discount Industry Initiatives will be provided with smart meters advice; andtargeted funds to decarbonise the public sector and promote smart metering.

The Government will continue analysis of potential policy measures. We will seek input and ideas from stakeholders as the rollout progresses for possible future introduction later in the rollout where appropriate, and dependent on wider industry progress towards reaching high levels of operational fulfilment and delivery of consistently good customer service.

The Government’s new four-year smart metering policy Framework, which commences on 1 January 2022 introduces annual, minimum individual installation requirements for energy suppliers, on a trajectory towards 100% subject to annual tolerance levels which were confirmed for Years 1 and 2 of the Framework in June 2021. The Government will consult on the minimum installation requirements for Years 3 and 4 of the new Framework during 2023.