Asked by: Baroness Golding (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how insurance premiums have affected how businesses have determined their investment plans.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for monitoring and regulating the insurance industry. They set the conduct standards required of insurance firms, which aims to ensure consumers are treated fairly and have fair access to affordable insurance products.
If it becomes clear that intervention is necessary, the FCA is able to do so. For example, in April 2017 the FCA took action on the practice of insurers increasing premiums at renewal.
Asked by: Baroness Golding (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether insurance premiums levels have deterred people from taking out insurance on their homes.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for monitoring and regulating the insurance industry. They set the conduct standards required of insurance firms, which aims to ensure consumers are treated fairly and have fair access to affordable insurance products.
If it becomes clear that intervention is necessary, the FCA is able to do so. For example, in April 2017 the FCA took action on the practice of insurers increasing premiums at renewal.
Asked by: Baroness Golding (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to appoint an ombudsman to address the standard of newly built homes.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
A new home is not just the largest monetary purchase most people ever make, it is also the largest emotional commitment as people look to provide a safe, good quality home for themselves and their families. It is therefore vital that as housing supply increases, the quality of new build homes continues to improve so as to avoid some of the issues highlighted in the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Excellence in the Built Environment's report.
I am aware of the report’s recommendations, including that for a new homes ombudsman.
Asked by: Baroness Golding (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to protect purchasers of newly built homes from defects resulting from faulty building by developers.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
A new home is not just the largest monetary purchase most people ever make, it is also one of the largest emotional commitments as people look to provide a safe, good quality home for them and their families. It is therefore vital that as housing supply increases, the quality of new build homes continues to improve, and I am aware of last year’s report by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment, More Homes, Fewer Complaints, which looked at these issues. Building inspectors check to ensure that building regulations’ requirements are met on new homes, but it is the house builders' responsibility to ensure new homes are built to the right standards.
Where something goes wrong, house builders and warranty providers should fulfill their obligations to put this right. The Consumer Code for Homebuilders is an industry-led scheme which gives protection and rights to purchasers of new homes, ensuring that new homebuyers are treated fairly and are fully informed about their purchase. A new Code was introduced on 1 April.
Asked by: Baroness Golding (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 11 May 2016 (HL8016), what further progress has been made towards appointing the proposed Small Business Commissioner to help small businesses resolve payment disputes with large businesses.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
We expect to appoint the Commissioner in 2017 and we continue to make progress on implementation. Our public consultation on the policy for regulations underpinning the Commissioner’s complaints handling function closed in December and we are preparing the Government Response.
Asked by: Baroness Golding (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made towards appointing the proposed Small Business Commissioner to help small businesses resolve payment disputes with large businesses.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Government has taken powers to establish the Small Business Commissioner via the Enterprise Bill, which is currently waiting for Royal Assent. We have started the implementation process and will begin the recruitment of the Commissioner later this year with the expectation of appointing him or her in 2017. We are completing the rest of the implementation in parallel which includes: consulting on, preparing and laying secondary legislation; setting up the Commissioner’s office; and creating a web presence.
Asked by: Baroness Golding (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what independent reports, if any, they have commissioned from Ecofys in the past five years; when they received those reports; whether those reports were published; and if not, whether they will now publish those reports.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
Data on the number of smart electricity and gas meters installed in Great Britain is set out in the Government’s ‘Smart Meters, Great Britain, Quarterly report to end September 2015’, published on 22 December 2015:
The roll-out is making good progress with more than 2 million meters now operating under the Programme which covers Great Britain. Northern Ireland is undertaking a separate roll-out programme.
Currently, data is published only at Great Britain level. Data is not collected from energy suppliers in a way that allows constituency or regional-level data to be produced.
Asked by: Baroness Golding (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of physiotherapists and podiatrists being trained as independent prescribers, what progress is being made to extend prescribing to include other groups of allied health professionals.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
NHS England is working closely with the relevant professional bodies and the Department to keep the case for any further expansion of prescribing responsibilities for the allied health professions under review.