Asked by: Lord Bishop of Salisbury (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the green homes grant on 8 July (HC Deb, col 976), whether (1) clergy housing, and (2) buildings open to the public and run by charities, such as churches, are eligible for that grant. [T]
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In his Summer Economic Update, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a £2bn Green Home Grant scheme that will support homeowners and landlords in England to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, reducing energy bills and carbon emissions, and supporting a green economic recovery.
The funding will be spent on paying for accredited tradespeople to install a range of measures, for example insulation, to improve the energy performance of their homes.
Further detail on eligibility will be announced before the full launch of the scheme.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Salisbury (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of India to (1) discourage financial assistance to the coal industry, and (2) encourage renewable energy development, following reports of a drop in non-renewable energy usage and carbon emissions for the first time in four decades.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK and Indian governments are closely engaged in regular dialogue on issues of clean energy transition, including rapid development of renewables. UK partnership with India in support of these objectives includes technical collaboration, joint research, and support for investment and commercial partnerships in renewables. Bilateral engagement is backed by a Ministerial Energy Dialogue, which includes discussion of alternatives to coal, and accompanied by support for clean energy transition through multilateral channels. The UK also supports India-led initiatives like the International Solar Alliance. The UK is committed to close engagement with India as a long term partner on this issue, including through engagement with the COP26 Energy Transitions campaign.
Through the Powering Past Coal Alliance initiative we have also actively engaged with a number of Indian states: Chhattisgarh and Gujarat have committed to no new coal for the next few years. India currently still requires coal as a baseload and to manage intermittent renewables; plans for new coal production are in line with this need and no further. Representations to the Government of India are mindful of this fact.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Salisbury (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the environmental impact of the new Woodhouse Colliery, in particular on their target set out in the Paris Agreement to limit climate temperature rises to below two degrees centigrade.
Answered by Lord Henley
The UK is committed to delivering the ambition of the Paris Agreement. The Climate Change Act committed the UK to reducing emissions by at least 80% compared to 1990 levels and we are phasing out the use of unabated coal for electricity generation by 2025. In response to the IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C, we have asked the Climate Change Committee to advise on whether further action is needed.
Cumbria County Council took the decision to grant planning permission for the Woodhouse Colliery, subject to the completion of a section 106 planning obligation. It was the Council’s responsibility to consider this application in its role as minerals planning authority, and the Council would have considered all relevant material considerations, including environmental impacts, before reaching their decision.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Salisbury (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relationship between the clean growth measures announced in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement and the recommendations in the report by the Committee on Climate Change UK housing: fit for the future?, published on 21 February, in particular that Committee’s proposal to ban gas boilers and cookers from 2025.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Future Homes Standard builds on the Industrial Strategy Clean Growth buildings mission to at least halve the energy use of new build property by 2030 and halve the cost of renovating existing buildings to a similar standard as new buildings, while increasing quality and safety. The Future Homes Standard will require all new build homes to have low carbon heating and world-leading levels of energy efficiency, and will be introduced by 2025.
The Committee on Climate Change are a body that provides independent advice to Government on building a low-carbon economy and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Their recommendation about new connections to the gas grid is one of several made in the CCC report. The Government is reviewing the CCC’s recommendations.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Salisbury (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to announce (1) measurable targets, and (2) deadlines, for their clean growth measures announced in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement; by how much they intend to increase the proportion of green gas in the National Grid; and when they estimate that target will be reached.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Government are committed to accelerating the decarbonisation of our gas supplies by increasing the proportion of green gas in the grid. In order to meet our climate targets, we need to reduce our dependence on burning natural gas to heat our homes.
The Government will consult later this year on the appropriate mechanism to deliver the commitment to increase the proportion of green gas in the grid. This consultation will inform subsequent decisions about the design of the future mechanism, its implementation, timetable and targets.
The Future Homes Standard, announced in the Spring Statement, will be implemented through an uplift to the Building Regulations, subject to consultation in 2019.