Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to increase levels of home insulation; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of poor home insulation on health.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government is supporting increased levels in home insulation through our ‘help to heat’ schemes. Evidence of the health benefits of Government insulation schemes is gathered as part of those schemes’ evaluations. Recent evaluations show that schemes had a positive impact on general health.
For example, the evaluation of ECO Phase 3 showed 24% of households reported that the measures had a positive impact on the health of anyone within the household. This was higher among households that had someone living there who had a long-standing illness, disability or infirmity (31%) Details of the evaluation can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/653f8705d10f3500139a6b2f/eco-evaluation-phases-2t-3.pdf.
Asked by: Selaine Saxby (Conservative - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many energy efficiency measures have been installed by parliamentary constituency between 2010 and 2024.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department published figures on the number of energy efficiency measures installed by parliamentary constituency between January 2013 and December 2023 in the Household Energy Efficiency Statistics, detailed report 2023 (Table 1.7), here. Data on 2024 installations are published in individual scheme monthly statistics: Boiler Upgrade Scheme, here; Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery and Homes Upgrade Grant, here; Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (Wave 1) here; Great British Insulation Scheme here; ECO data will be available here.
Prior to 2013, Government support for energy efficiency measures was provided via the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target and Community Energy Saving Programme. Further information can be found here and here.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if his Department will provide guidance to home owners with rotten loft timbers caused by spray foam insulation on taking steps to find appropriate insurance.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
We are aware of issues that some homeowners are finding after having sprayed foam installed in their loft space and have worked with the industry and stakeholders to find a resolution.
The insulation, lending, and surveying communities published new protocols in March 2023 to allow an assessment of these spray foam installations. These describe a structured route to assessing risks from this type of insulation and are intended to provide reassurance to lenders and insurance providers. These can be found here: https://www.property-care.org/resources/spray-foam-insulation-inspections and Guides & Documents - IMA (insulationmanufacturers.org.uk). These include advice that building professionals surveying spray foam insulation should be familiar with the requirements of BS 5250:2021 where this relates to hygrothermal evaluation or suitable condensation risk assessment.
We will continue to work with regulators and industry to ensure that insurers and lenders take a fair and proportionate approach when considering building-related risks. Correspondence between departmental officials and the regulator has been published on the gov.uk website.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help increase the number of people that are accredited to retrofit residential housing stock.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
To build retrofit workforce capacity, the government has invested nearly £29m since 2021 to deliver around 34,000 retrofit training opportunities. This includes an £8.85m Home Decarbonisation Skills Training Competition to deliver 8,000 insulation installation and retrofit professional qualifications, and a £5m Heat Training Grant to support 10,000 training opportunities relevant to heat pumps and heat networks up to 2025. The government launched a new Low Carbon Heating Technician apprenticeship in Autumn 2023 and is working with industry to develop occupational standards for insulation and building treatments to create new apprenticeships and T Levels for retrofit work.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions his Department has had with manufacturers of (a) cladding and (b) insulation on financial contributions to building safety remediation works.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
In early 2022 the Secretary of State opened industry wide discussions with cladding and insulation manufacturers. To date, no cladding or insulation manufacturer has come forward with a financial contribution for their part in this. We are continuing to press the industry on this issue.
The department’s Recovery Strategy Unit continues to actively pursue organisations, including manufacturers, responsible for unsafe buildings to force them to contribute to the costs of remediation.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what information her Department holds on how many homes were retrofitted for energy efficiency in the (a) social and (b) private sector in each of the last five years.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department publishes information on the number of homes retrofitted for energy efficiency in the last five years through the following government schemes: Energy Company Obligation (ECO), Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS), Green Homes Grant Vouchers Scheme, Local Authority Delivery, Home Upgrade Grant, and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).
SHDF retrofits social housing only. A breakdown of the number of homes retrofitted in the social and private sector can be found in the ECO and GBIS statistical releases.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to secure contributions towards the costs of building safety remediation from (a) cladding manufacturers, (b) insulation manufacturers, (c) fire door manufacturers, (d) architects, (e) building contractors, (f) building control organisations and (g) warranty providers.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer my Hon Gentleman to the oral statement made in the House of Commons on 26th March 2024 (Official Report HC, Volume 747, Column 1414).
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an estimate of the number of timber-frame homes in England that have similar UPVC cladding installed as the properties involved in the Moss Hall Grove fire in Barnet in June 2023.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
We are aware of the action being taken by Barnet Council and continue to engage closely with them on the steps they are taking following the Moss Hall Grove fire in June 2023. Department officials met with Barnet Council representatives on 10 April and will continue to discuss with them.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has received advice from relevant stakeholders on the potential risk of timber-frame constructions with UPVC cladding since the fire in Moss Hall Grove in Barnet in June 2023.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
We are aware of the action being taken by Barnet Council and continue to engage closely with them on the steps they are taking following the Moss Hall Grove fire in June 2023. Department officials met with Barnet Council representatives on 10 April and will continue to discuss with them.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2024 to Question 19180 on Armed Forces: Housing, when the (a) Minister for the Armed Forces and (b) Minister for Defence People and Families last had discussions with representatives of (i) VIVO, (ii) Amey and (iii) Pinnacle on the maintenance of service accommodation properties.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
There is no formal record of any meeting between the Minister for Armed Forces and representatives from VIVO, Amey and Pinnacle on the maintenance of Service accommodation.
There is a formal record of an invitation for a meeting in January 2023 between the Minister for Defence People and Families and VIVO, Amey and Pinnacle on the maintenance of Service accommodation.
I have engaged with VIVO, Amey and Pinnacle representatives in summer 2023 regarding overdue Landlord Gas Safety Inspections and Electrical Insulation Condition Reports.
In addition to this, Defence Infrastructure Organisation officials are in daily contact with VIVO, Amey and Pinnacle regarding delivery and performance.