Asked by: Philip Dunne (Conservative - Ludlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he or his officials have held discussions with their counterparts at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the Electricity Generator Levy and work to disincentivise unabated fossil fuel generation, including meeting the Government's decarbonisation commitments.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As announced at Autumn Statement from January 2023 a 45% tax is being levied on the extraordinary returns being realised by certain electricity generators. This will help fund support for households and business with their energy bills as well as vital public services.
The levy will only be applied to extraordinary returns defined as returns from selling electricity for a period at an average price of more than £75/MWh. This is approximately 1.5 times the average price of electricity over the last decade. The Government considers this to be a proportionate approach to recovering a share of the extraordinary returns electricity generators are receiving while leaving generators a share of the revenue from high electricity prices. HM Treasury has worked closely with the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the levy.
The Office for Budget Responsibility considered the impact of the levy on its economic and fiscal forecasts which was published at Autumn Statement in its economic and fiscal outlook.
Asked by: Philip Dunne (Conservative - Ludlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Electricity Generator Levy on investment in renewables, including (a) onshore and offshore wind infrastructure and (b) solar power projects; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As announced at Autumn Statement from January 2023 a 45% tax is being levied on the extraordinary returns being realised by certain electricity generators. This will help fund support for households and business with their energy bills as well as vital public services.
The levy will only be applied to extraordinary returns defined as returns from selling electricity for a period at an average price of more than £75/MWh. This is approximately 1.5 times the average price of electricity over the last decade. The Government considers this to be a proportionate approach to recovering a share of the extraordinary returns electricity generators are receiving while leaving generators a share of the revenue from high electricity prices. HM Treasury has worked closely with the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the levy.
The Office for Budget Responsibility considered the impact of the levy on its economic and fiscal forecasts which was published at Autumn Statement in its economic and fiscal outlook.
Asked by: Philip Dunne (Conservative - Ludlow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the impact of sanctions against Russia on global energy markets.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are working alongside the G7 to end reliance on Russian energy. We are also working with the international community to open up alternative sources of energy, ensuring market stability. We have introduced an oil price cap that is designed to enable countries to access the oil they need at affordable prices, and undermine Russia's ability to profit from inflated prices.
Asked by: Philip Dunne (Conservative - Ludlow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she plans to take to help Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We must support Ukraine’s vision for rebuilding a sovereign, prosperous, democratic nation that is stronger than before Putin’s invasion. Significant support will be required for Ukraine to recover and rebuild from the damage wrought by this war. In early July, the former Foreign Secretary presented our vision to support a Ukraine-led effort for recovery and reconstruction at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano. We will host the Conference in 2023 to galvanise further international support. The priority now is to address Ukraine’s immediate economic needs, and in the longer term, leverage UK private sector investment and work to support Ukraine’s future economic growth.
Asked by: Philip Dunne (Conservative - Ludlow)
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 1 June 2022 to Question 7959 on Energy Company Obligation, what assessment he has made of the levels of compliance of licensed (a) gas and (b) electricity suppliers with the Energy Company Obligation scheme since 1 April 2022; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Compliance for obligated energy suppliers is monitored by the scheme administrator, Ofgem. Ofgem works with suppliers to communicate rules for installing energy efficiency measures.
Ofgem run monthly compliance checks to ensure that what has been delivered to date is eligible and compliant under the scheme. They will make a final decision on all installations at final determination of the ECO3 scheme – the most recent iteration of the scheme – later this year and make a final decision on each supplier’s compliance with their obligation. Those found non-compliant may face Enforcement Action.
A written Ministerial statement will be issued once the draft Statutory Instrument for ECO4 is laid.
Asked by: Philip Dunne (Conservative - Ludlow)
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 1 June 2022 to Question 7959 on Energy Company Obligation, what plans he has to (a) lay and (b) secure Parliamentary approval of the secondary legislation implementing the ECO4 scheme before expiry of the interim delivery phase; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is working quickly to lay regulations as early as possible. A Written Ministerial Statement will be issued once the draft Statutory Instrument is laid.
Asked by: Philip Dunne (Conservative - Ludlow)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress has been made on taking steps to support residents of park homes without a domestic energy supply contract with the cost of their energy bills following the conclusion of the scheme’s technical consultation.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As set out in the consultation, households without a domestic electricity supply contract are not eligible for the scheme and the Government is exploring options for other ways in which they might receive similar support. Responses to the consultation are being analysed and the Government response will be published later in the summer.
Asked by: Philip Dunne (Conservative - Ludlow)
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 1 June 2022 to Question 7959 on Energy Company Obligation, what statutory provisions in force (a) between December 2018 and March 2022 and (b) since April 2022 require energy suppliers to install energy efficiency measures under the Energy Company Obligation scheme.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2018 required obligated energy suppliers to install heating and energy efficiency measures between December 2018 and March 2022.
Since April 2022, a statutory provision has not been in place. Installations under ECO have continued under transitional arrangements that were announced in the ECO4 Government response; primarily via ECO3 interim delivery, as referred to in the answer I gave the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion on 1 June 2022 to Question 7959.
Asked by: Philip Dunne (Conservative - Ludlow)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish any independent accredited research undertaken or commissioned by his Department on the number of electively home-educated children who do not receive a suitable education.
Answered by Will Quince
The department does not currently collect data on numbers of home educated children or school attendance orders. Such data as is collected is held by local authorities. Parents are not required to register if they are home educating their children and, therefore, there is not a robust basis on which the department or independent accredited researchers can reliably collect statistics on home education.
The department supports the right of parents to educate their children at home. Most do so with the best education of their child at the centre of their decision. The department is aware of increasing numbers of home educated children, which cannot be overlooked. For some parents, the child’s education is not the primary reason behind the decision to home educate, which can mean that some children are not being provided with a suitable education.
Local authorities are under a duty to take action if it appears to them that the home education provided to a child is unsuitable. The department issued revised and strengthened guidance to local authorities in April 2019, setting out how they can exercise their powers in this regard. This guidance will be reviewed again in due course.
The department remains committed to a form of local authority register for children not in school and we will legislate for it at the next suitable opportunity. The department have already consulted on proposals in the Children Not in School consultation, and their response to the consultation, published on 3 February 2022, reaffirmed this commitment to create local authority registers of children not attending registered independent or local authority- maintained schools, and to place a duty on local authorities to provide support for home-educating families (should they want it). Such duties will help local authorities undertake their existing duties, improve data on children in scope, as well as help safeguard all children who are in scope. In addition to the Children Not in school consultation, officials continue to engage with relevant stakeholders as we prepare for the next legislative opportunity. There are no immediate plans to commission, undertake or publish any independent accredited research on elective home education, for the reason noted above.
Asked by: Philip Dunne (Conservative - Ludlow)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to launch a public consultation on his proposal for a register of electively home-educated children when the draft legislation is published.
Answered by Will Quince
The department does not currently collect data on numbers of home educated children or school attendance orders. Such data as is collected is held by local authorities. Parents are not required to register if they are home educating their children and, therefore, there is not a robust basis on which the department or independent accredited researchers can reliably collect statistics on home education.
The department supports the right of parents to educate their children at home. Most do so with the best education of their child at the centre of their decision. The department is aware of increasing numbers of home educated children, which cannot be overlooked. For some parents, the child’s education is not the primary reason behind the decision to home educate, which can mean that some children are not being provided with a suitable education.
Local authorities are under a duty to take action if it appears to them that the home education provided to a child is unsuitable. The department issued revised and strengthened guidance to local authorities in April 2019, setting out how they can exercise their powers in this regard. This guidance will be reviewed again in due course.
The department remains committed to a form of local authority register for children not in school and we will legislate for it at the next suitable opportunity. The department have already consulted on proposals in the Children Not in School consultation, and their response to the consultation, published on 3 February 2022, reaffirmed this commitment to create local authority registers of children not attending registered independent or local authority- maintained schools, and to place a duty on local authorities to provide support for home-educating families (should they want it). Such duties will help local authorities undertake their existing duties, improve data on children in scope, as well as help safeguard all children who are in scope. In addition to the Children Not in school consultation, officials continue to engage with relevant stakeholders as we prepare for the next legislative opportunity. There are no immediate plans to commission, undertake or publish any independent accredited research on elective home education, for the reason noted above.