Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the requirements for the training and certification of technicians in the use of alternative products during the planned transition away from fluorinated gases.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

F-gas regulatory changes, such as training and certification, are out of the scope of the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown consultation but their importance in delivery of the phasedown is recognised. The UK Government, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, is committed to further exploring other areas for F-gas reform.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will consider mandatory training regarding flammable refrigerants as part of the hydrofluorocarbons phasedown.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

F-gas regulatory changes, such as training and certification, are out of the scope of the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown consultation but their importance in delivery of the phasedown is recognised. The UK Government, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, is committed to further exploring other areas for F-gas reform.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will meet with manufacturers from the heating, refrigeration and air conditioning industries to discuss their proposed hydrofluorocarbons phasedown schedule.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Officials have been in regular contact with sector representatives during the current consultation on reforming the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown and before it. They welcome further discussions as part of ongoing engagement with the sector.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the F gas regulation in Great Britain consultation allows industry sufficient time to carry out safety checks on alternative gases.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The consultation on reforming the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown seeks views from respondents about potential wider impacts from the proposal. We will take into account responses to those views when making decisions following the consultation.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many exemptions have been registered under the minimum energy efficiency standards regulations; and how many officials are responsible for assessing and approving these exemptions.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

As of the end of January 2026, there were a total of 22,774 exemptions registered on the service, of which 10,519 were still active. Local authorities are the enforcement authority for the regulations, the Department has no role in assessing exemptions.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero collects and records data on minimum energy efficiency standards exemptions relating to leaseholder or third-party consent.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero collects and records data on all minimum energy efficiency standards exemptions through the Exemptions Register service.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what preparations they are making to manage any increase in applications for leaseholder and third-party consent exemptions ahead of the proposed changes to the minimum energy efficiency standards; and what assessment they have made of the prevalence of freeholder refusal of consent for energy efficiency improvements.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero provides an Exemptions Register to enable landlords to register exemptions. The Exemptions Register has sufficient capacity to handle an increase in exemption registrations.

The impact assessment published alongside the government response to the ‘Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes’ consultation contains information on expected prevalence of exemptions, and information on treatment of exemptions in the modelling can be found in the attached table.

Table - Treatment of exemptions in the PRS MEES modelling

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of minimum energy efficiency standards exemptions relating to leaseholder or third-party consent on progress towards improving energy efficiency in the private rented sector.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The impact assessment published alongside the government response to the improving the energy performance of privately rented homes consultation contains information on the expected impact of third party consent exemptions on improving energy efficiency in the private rented sector. The treatment of exemptions in the PRS MEES modelling is found in the attached table.

Table - Treatment of exemptions in the PRS MEES modelling