Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to support disabled people who use medical equipment in their homes with their energy costs.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We recognise the cost-of-living challenges faced by vulnerable people. The Government is providing extensive financial support to households in a package worth over £108 billion, or £3,800 per household on average, over 2022-2025. This includes the uprating of working age benefits by 6.7% this year.
We are also continuing to support eligible low-income households through the Warm Home Discount, providing an annual £150 rebate off energy bills until 2025-26.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of amending the trial trenching requirements for ground-mounted solar projects (a) to delay trial trenching until after consent has been granted and (b) in other ways.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Planning guidance on assessing potential impacts of large-scale solar projects on the historic environment is set out in the recently published Energy National Policy Statements. In most cases, applicants are required to seek expert assessment. Where assessments include investigative work, such as trial trenching, this should be proportionate.
Conducting this work during the pre-application planning phase enables developers to take into account findings and, if necessary, mitigate impacts by adapting project design at an early stage. It provides a robust evidence base to support decision making, helping to avoid delays after applications have been submitted or post consent.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the report by Key Cities Innovation Network entitled Civic partners in Net Zero, published in April 2024, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of local civic partnerships with universities in achieving net zero targets.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that both local organisations and universities can, and do, play an important role in driving local action on net zero and is supportive of them working together to do so. We provide a range of support for Local areas to decarbonise, for example through our Local Net Zero Hubs which support local authorities to develop net zero projects and attract commercial investment.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to ensure trial trenching requirements for ground-mounted solar farms are proportionate to the amount of land disturbed through their construction and operation.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in the updated Energy National Policy Statements, the extent of investigative work to assess potential impacts of ground mount solar projects on the historic environment, including trial trenching, should be proportionate to the sensitivity of, and extent of, proposed ground disturbance in the associated study area.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of trial trenching requirements on (a) costs for solar project developers and (b) investment in ground-mounted solar projects.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Planning consents will set requirements for pre-construction archaeological surveys where appropriate, and techniques used may include trial trenching. The most appropriate technique is likely to depend on the specific circumstances in each case.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has made support available to people whose air source heat pump, installed by someone certified by the microgeneration certification scheme through the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive, breaks down and the installer is no-longer certified.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which is the leading standards and quality assurance organisation for microgeneration technologies in the UK, is the certification scheme for the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). All installers that participate in the RHI are required to be a member of MCS.
Consumers in this situation should contact MCS. It has a procedure that enables another MCS certified installer to take over responsibility for the consumer’s installation, so the consumer should not suffer any detriment or require support.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the certification programme for the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which is the leading standards and quality assurance organisation for microgeneration technologies in the UK, is the certification scheme for the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). All installers that participate in the RHI are required to be a member of MCS.
MCS conducted a public consultation on its operating model in 2023, and is currently implementing a programme of reform to strengthen its support for consumers. The department continues to work with MCS and its stakeholders to monitor the impact of these reforms.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to her Department's publication of spending over £500 using a government procurement card from October to December 2023 on 17 May 2024, for what purpose payments were made of (a) £662.70 to Paul on 10 October 2023, (b) £2,157.60 to Revolution Events on 6 November 2023, (c) £865.64 to Hilton International on 16 November 2023, and (d) £1,023.02 to Orbis Coffee on 17 November 2023.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We can confirm that the only information we hold regarding the purpose of these payments is related to the provision of catering, conference attendance and accommodation.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to her Department's publication of spending over £500 using a government procurement card from October to December 2023 on 17 May 2024, for what purpose payments totalling £3,417 were made to Mons Hospitality between 22 November and 9 December 2023.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We can confirm that the only information we hold regarding the purpose of these payments to Mons Hospitality over the timeframe stated is related to the provision of food and drink/catering at COP28
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2024 to Question 25469 on Mineworkers' Pension Scheme, how many recipients there are in each region of the UK.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The number of scheme members by region, as at July 2023, is as follows:
Name of Region | Number of members |
Channel Islands | 8 |
East Midlands | 29641 |
East of England | 490 |
Isle of Man | 4 |
London | 194 |
North East | 15917 |
North West | 4901 |
Scotland | 8269 |
South East | 1791 |
South West | 908 |
Wales | 13838 |
West Midlands | 9461 |
Yorkshire and The Humber | 30510 |
A breakdown by region of former miners and dependants is not available.