Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for UK businesses of the EU's proposed Directive on Corporate Sustainability and Due Diligence.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I outlined in my letter of 23 May 2022 to the Chair of the Commons Committee for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Government’s initial views on this EU proposed directive, including its implications for UK businesses. I attach a copy of my letter, which has been published by the Committee.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take (1) to introduce a new UK corporate accountability law, and (2) to ensure it is effective.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recently confirmed, following consultation, reforms for ‘Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance’. It has no plans to propose additional legislation for corporate accountability, for example along the lines of the EU’s recent draft directive for cross cutting corporate sustainability due diligence.
The Government supports the voluntary due diligence approaches by UK businesses to these issues, taking account of international frameworks such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises. The Government has not been persuaded that a blanket approach to mandatory due diligence in law is practical or proportionate.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to (1) introduce, and (2) implement, legislation regarding (a) corporate accountability, (b) human rights, and (c) environmental, due diligence, for businesses throughout the UK.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government keeps under review policy approaches involving corporate due diligence, but it currently has no plans to propose cross cutting legislation to regulate corporate accountability and due diligence for human rights and environmental protection. The Government supports voluntary due diligence approaches by UK businesses to these issues, taking account of international frameworks such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how collaborative training can be developed between manufacturers, colleges, and other training providers to (1) develop, and (2) roll out, heat pump system training.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Training courses are available for existing heating engineers to learn to install heat pumps and can be completed in one week. Industry groups are confident that there will be enough training capacity to be able to meet demand for heat pump upskilling as heat pump deployment increases.
The Government is also updating the apprenticeship framework for heating and plumbing to ensure this offers the right skills to deliver Net Zero. The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education is working with an industry group to revise the existing Plumbing and Domestic Heating apprenticeship, and to develop a new Low Carbon Heating Technician apprenticeship.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had about including hybrid heat pumps within the scope of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Hybrid heating systems will not be supported through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme as funding will be directed towards the technologies that offer the greatest carbon savings, rather than those which would continue to involve the burning of fossil fuels for heating. Government will continue to consider the role that gas and electric hybrid systems may play in the longer-term decarbonisation of heat on the gas grid.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide additional financial support measures when the Boiler Upgrade Scheme closes in 2025.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) currently has a committed budget of £450m over three years from 2022/23 to 2024/25. Any additional scheme budget or extension beyond this timeframe will be a matter for a future fiscal event.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to provide additional financial measures to incentivise heat pump installations if the number of grant applications made under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme exceeds the permitted 30,000 per year.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Any additional budget for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme beyond the presently committed £450m over three years will be a matter for a future fiscal event. However, we want as many people as possible who want to have a heat pump installed this year to be able to have one, so will continue to keep uptake of the scheme under review.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will run for the three years originally envisioned.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme currently has a committed budget of £450m over three years from 2022/23 to 2024/25. Any additional scheme budget or extension beyond this timeframe will be a matter for a future fiscal event.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for mandating the installation of hydrogen-ready boilers in homes from 2026.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how collaborative training can be developed between (1) manufacturers, (2) colleges, and (3) other training providers, to (a) develop, and (b) roll-out, heat pump system training for the future, to ensure a pipeline of new apprentices and overcome any future skills and labour shortages.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.