Asked by: Patricia Ferguson (Labour - Glasgow West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what measures will be included in the Warm Homes Plan to ensure compliance with relevant standards and regulations.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has made clear that it is committed to reform of the consumer protection system and, through the Warm Homes Plan, we will outline our offer for households to confidently and safely take up measures like solar panels, heat pumps, home batteries and insulation, helping them save money on their bills and benefit from cleaner, cheaper heating.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Ofcom’s regulation of (a) Evri and (b) other parcel delivery companies on (i) the recruitment, vetting and oversight of self-employed couriers, (ii) the suitability and safety of vehicles used for parcel delivery and (iii) consumer protection and complaints resolution in the context of reports of ((A) lost, (B) delayed and (C) improperly delivered parcels; and whether he plans to strengthen regulatory requirements for such operators.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
It is important that all parcel operators provide a good service to their customers and reduce the number of lost, delayed or improperly delivered parcels as far as possible. Evri and other parcel operators are independent businesses, and the government has no role in their operational decisions. All delivery companies must comply with employment and traffic or vehicle safety obligations.
Ofcom, the independent regulator for postal services, requires that all operators have a straightforward, accessible, and affordable complaints process. It does not regulate the employment models of Evri or other delivery companies.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with Evri and other delivery companies on leaving parcels unattended on doorsteps.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
It is unacceptable for delivery companies to leave parcels unattended on doorsteps where that has not been requested by a customer.
The government wants to see all operators provide a good level of service, including incorporating customers’ preferences on deliveries. However, Evri and other delivery companies are independent businesses, and the government has no role in their operational decisions.
Ofcom is the independent regulator for the postal sector with the responsibility and powers to regulate postal services.
Ofcom engages regularly with all parcel operators to understand their approach to implementation of, and compliance with, its consumer protection measures.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with regulators on reviewing rules on credit unions offering insurance products such as income protection.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Credit unions are regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure the stability and soundness of the sector. The regulators are independent and make decisions on the regulation of credit unions in line with their statutory objectives.
Credit unions themselves are not insurance providers. Following the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, credit unions were given clearer permissions to act as distributors, enabling their members to access insurance products through partner firms. This does not allow credit unions to underwrite insurance themselves, and any arrangements made under these rules would be subject to the regulators' consumer protection rules.
In response to a request from HM Treasury, the PRA and FCA published reports on the mutuals sector on 5 December. As part of this, the regulators have committed to reviewing the regulatory framework governing credit unions.
Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question
To ask The Leader of the House to list the Lords-starting private member's bills that have had second readings in this session, indicating which of those have begun their committee stages.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Basildon - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
The following Lords-starting private member’s bills have had second readings this session, those that have begun committee stages are indicated accordingly:
Support for Infants and Parents etc (Information) Bill [HL]
Lithium-ion Battery Safety Bill [HL] - Committee stage
Regulated and Other Activities (Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse) Bill [HL] - Committee stage
Education (Values of British Citizenship) Bill [HL]
Refugees (Family Reunion) Bill [HL] - Committee stage
Statutory Instruments (Amendment) Bill [HL]
Environmental Targets (Public Authorities) Bill [HL]
Complications from Abortions (Annual Report) Bill [HL]
Imprisonment for Public Protection (Resentencing) Bill [HL]
Women, Peace & Security Bill [HL]
Home School Education Registration and Support Bill [HL] - Committee stage
Listed Investment Companies (Classification etc) Bill [HL]
Asylum Support (Prescribed Period) Bill [HL]
Non-Consensual Sexually Explicit Images and Videos (Offences) Bill [HL]
Public Authority Algorithmic and Automated Decision-Making Systems Bill [HL]
Permitted Development Rights (Extension) Bill [HL] - Committee stage
Crown Estate (Wales) Bill [HL]
Universal Credit (Standard Allowance Entitlement of Care Leavers) Bill [HL]
Consumer Products (Control of Biocides) Bill [HL] - Committee stage
Mortgage Prisoners Inquiry Bill [HL]
Education (Assemblies) Bill [HL] - Committee stage
House of Lords (Peerage Nominations) Bill [HL] - Committee stage
Palestine Statehood (Recognition) Bill [HL] - Committee stage
Still-Birth (Definition) Bill [HL] - Committee stage
The list of private member’s bills being considered in the Lords and their stage is available and kept updated in the House of Lords Business Paper document and on the Parliament website.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what reason an official hold to all PV battery installations have been held under the Warm Homes: Local Grant Scheme; and whether his Department plans for this to be lifted.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
PV battery installations under the Warm Homes: Local Grant Scheme have been temporarily paused while the Department carries out necessary assurance. Although PV batteries were announced as an eligible measure in June 2025, there is currently no MCS Product Standard, which is required under scheme guidance. As the Department remains focused on consumer protection, Grant Recipients have therefore been asked to pause any plans to install PV batteries across the schemes. The Department have been updating Grant Recipients this week (commencing 8th December) and will continue to work at pace to resolve this issue.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she will ask the Financial Conduct Authority and other relevant bodies to review their handling of intelligence and complaints relating to High Street Group and similar unauthorised mini-bond schemes; and to publish any lessons learned on consumer protection.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the impact of the collapse of the High Street Group (HSG) on those who invested with it. The administrators of HSG estimate that the value of investments affected is about £123 million.
As the regulator of financial services in the UK, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) stresses the importance of consumers getting the support they need and encourages consumers to only deal with FCA-authorised firms when making financial investments. HSG was not authorised by the FCA, and the issuing and distributing of its products was not a regulated activity. This means that investments made in HSG are not protected by the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), unless the investment was via a regulated financial adviser or SIPP operator. As an important point of principle, the Government does not step in to pay compensation in respect of firms that fall outside of the FSCS. Doing so would create the wrong set of incentives for individuals and place an unnecessary burden on the taxpayer.
As HSG was not authorised by the FCA, and the issuing and distributing of its products is not a regulated activity, the FCA did not have supervisory oversight. The FCA does not have power to investigate a firm that is unauthorised and not carrying out any regulated activities and so the FCA's ability to intervene was limited. However, the promotion and marketing of such loan notes requires approval from FCA-authorised firms, unless a relevant exemption applies. The FCA has taken action against unauthorised promoters of HSG's investment scheme where financial promotions were made in breach of their rules. This action has included unannounced visits, warning letters and the removal of non-compliant financial promotions from the internet.
Action is being taken to reduce the risk of future investment schemes operating in this manner. The FCA has banned the mass marketing of speculative mini-bonds, which means firms with similar business models to HSG can no longer market their mini-bonds to ordinary retail investors. Furthermore, the forthcoming public offers and admission to trading regime will bring the issuance of non-transferable debt securities, such as minibonds, within the scope of regulation. That new regime will come into force in January 2026.
With respect to any discussions between the Government, regulators and the banking sector, Treasury Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at the link below.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the mandatory licensing scheme for builders provides adequate protections for homeowners who hire builders to complete work.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is fully committed to implementing the Grenfell Inquiry recommendation that principal contractors working on higher-risk buildings should be licenced through a scheme managed by the Building Safety Regulator. We have accepted this recommendation as an important step in enhancing building safety standards.
We continue to engage with stakeholders as to whether a wider licencing scheme would improve standards of consumer protection. This work is progressing alongside our broader initiatives to enhance competency across the construction sector through the Industry Competence Committee, ensuring a comprehensive approach to raising standards throughout the industry.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to increase requirements for builders to hold licensing fees.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is fully committed to implementing the Grenfell Inquiry recommendation that principal contractors working on higher-risk buildings should be licenced through a scheme managed by the Building Safety Regulator. We have accepted this recommendation as an important step in enhancing building safety standards.
We continue to engage with stakeholders as to whether a wider licencing scheme would improve standards of consumer protection. This work is progressing alongside our broader initiatives to enhance competency across the construction sector through the Industry Competence Committee, ensuring a comprehensive approach to raising standards throughout the industry.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the number of complaints made to Ofgem about solar installation and network feed in as previously experienced with companies such as A Shade Greener since 2015.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We inherited a fragmented assurance framework for the installation of measures that improve the energy efficiency of homes. We are currently reviewing the broader consumer protection landscape and will bring forward wider system reforms to ensure consumers can have confidence in the quality of installations and protections when upgrading their homes.