Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the potential number of firms in the Buckingham and Bletchley constituency that may request support to improve their energy management practices.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In order to keep the level of reporting on businesses to a minimum, DESNZ does not collect information detailing the uptake of energy management improvements by businesses.
However, Buckinghamshire Business First is a local organisation that works closely with Buckinghamshire Council and has so far provided support to 3,600 businesses in the local area to date to help businesses reach net zero targets.
Small businesses can search for other local grant and advice schemes on the finance and support for businesses page on gov.uk.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether it is his policy to reduce average household energy bills by £150 from April 2026 for people who use domestic heating oil.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The majority of the savings on the costs of domestic energy bills announced at the budget, including the removal of 75% of the domestic Renewable Obligation, will come off the costs of electricity so will benefit all households.
For the savings announced which will be coming off the gas bill, such as part of the ECO scheme cost, government intends to explore how we can further target these savings at electricity bills, meaning more households benefit. These policy costs do not apply currently to those on domestic heating oil.
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: 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, when his Department plans to publish the Warm Homes Plan in full.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working across departments on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan to cut energy bills, strengthen energy security and reduce emissions. The Plan will accelerate the installation of efficient technologies such as heat pumps, heat networks, solar, home batteries and insulation, upgrading millions of homes this Parliament. We have committed almost £15 billion of investment to deliver this ambition. Further details, including funding allocations and delivery pathways, will be published soon.
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 steps he is taking to ensure continuity between ECO4 funding and Warm Homes Plan measures in the case of ongoing works over the transition period.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government consulted on an extension to ECO4 earlier this year. DESNZ Ministers have now agreed to a 9-month extension to end December 2026; however, this is subject to cross-government and Parliamentary approval.
An extension would support the remediation process and allow for completion of any outstanding obligations. However, it would not be supported by funding or increased targets.
The extra £1.5 billion allocated to the Warm Homes Plan through the budget will be spent on low income households. Details on allocation will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his timeline is for launching the proposed framework to scrutinise additional costs and levies on consumer energy bills.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
At the budget, the Chancellor agreed to subject any additional costs, including new levies, to enhanced scrutiny under a new framework to ensure they are affordable, represent value for money and do not impose unnecessary costs on households and businesses. The development of this new framework is underway with HM Treasury and we will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what advice his Department has received on whether changes to the inflation indexation methodology of the Feed-in Tariff scheme would constitute a material change to the contractual terms agreed with scheme participants.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Feed-In Tariff scheme does not involve individual contracts between generators and government. Accredited generators may have entered into contracts with their energy suppliers in relation to their FIT payments, but their entitlement to those payments arises from legislation and the standard conditions of the electricity supply licence. Any changes to the indexation methodology would follow the statutory process for changing those conditions.
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, whether transitional support will be provided to energy efficiency installation and associated businesses.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government consulted on an extension to ECO4 earlier this year. DESNZ Ministers have now agreed to a 9-month extension to end December 2026; however, this is subject to cross-government and Parliamentary approval.
An extension would support the remediation process and allow for completion of any outstanding obligations. However, it would not be supported by funding or increased targets.
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, whether the Warm Homes Plan will provide energy efficiency measures to vulnerable households previously provided under the ECO4 scheme.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The extra £1.5 billion allocated to the Warm Homes Plan through the budget will be spent on low income households. Details on allocation will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan.
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, whether his Department has plans to align the commencement of measures in the Warm Homes Plan with the cessation of ECO4 funding.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Warm Homes Plan represents the biggest ever public investment in home upgrades. At the Autumn Budget on 26th November, the Chancellor announced an additional £1.5 billion of funding for the Warm Homes Plan, bringing total capital investment to almost £15 billion. This exceeds our manifesto commitment of £13.2 billion and is a major step forward in the government’s plans to upgrade up to 5 million homes over this Parliament and cut energy bills for good.