Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what preparations they have put in place to deal with any early onset of peak oil.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK was the first major economy in the world to legislate for net zero and as we move to a low carbon economy, oil and gas will play a smaller role in meeting the demand for energy over time.
The oil and gas sector has an important part to play now in sustaining our energy security of supply, and in the energy transition to support net zero, having many of the essential skills and capabilities in its world class supply chain to support emerging technologies such as carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen, and through its investment in infrastructure.
We will support this energy transition with a transformational North Sea Transition Deal, which we have committed to deliver within this Parliament. The focus of this deal will be on ensuring the sector can support the energy transition and anchor the supply chain to the UK.
The oil and gas sector supports tens of thousands of high-quality jobs across the UK. Safeguarding these jobs whilst creating new low carbon jobs will be a key consideration of the proposed North Sea Transition Deal.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Green Homes Grant Scheme has now been launched; and if so, how many (1) people have applied, and (2) vouchers have been provided, to date.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Green Homes Grant voucher scheme launched on 30th September ready for homeowners to apply for vouchers and for installers to register with the administrator for payment. As of 3rd October, there were 7,858 applications for vouchers.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) businesses, and (2) tradespeople, have to attain the PAS 2030-2019 Specification to take part in the Green Homes Grant Scheme.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In order to participate in the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme, businesses and tradespeople installing energy efficiency measures must install measures against Publicly Available Specification (PAS) standards 2030: 2017 or 2030: 2019 by a certification body that has been accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 8 September (HC Deb, cols 517-519), what is the nature of the vaccines which form the basis of the agreements in place with six separate vaccine developers; and who are the developers.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has secured access to 6 different candidates, across 4 different vaccine types, reflecting the government’s strategy to ensure the UK has a supply of vaccines should any of these prove safe and effective:
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many doses for a COVID-19 vaccine they have purchased from companies based in (1) the United States, (2) China, and (3) Russia; if none, whether they plan to purchase such vaccines from those countries; and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has agreements in the US with BioNTech/Pfizer for 30 million doses, Novavax for 60 million doses and Janssen for 30 million doses of their not-for-profit vaccine. We are taking a portfolio-based approach that monitors the landscape of coronavirus vaccine development, both here in the UK and internationally. Although we continue to investigate further potential vaccine candidates worldwide, we are currently not able to give any further information on these candidates owing to commercial sensitivity. We will, however, announce agreements with any other vaccine developers in due course.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) businesses, and (2) tradespeople, have signed up to the TrustMark Scheme in order to take part in the Green Homes Grant Scheme.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As of 31 August, TrustMark had 681 registered businesses able to install the primary and/or secondary measures supported by the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme. These businesses range from small enterprises to large companies with significant workforces. Additionally, a further 2316 TrustMark applications were being processed, and a further 5164 expressions of interest in joining TrustMark had been received by the various trade associations and certification and inspection bodies who partner with TrustMark.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how consumers can obtain the necessary vouchers to take part in the Green Homes Grant Scheme; and what plans they have to publicise that scheme.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Homeowners and landlords will able to apply for the Green Homes Grant scheme vouchers online, with alternative methods being available for those that cannot apply digitally. More details on the application process will be announced in due course.
In order to support customers to take up the scheme and to encourage industry to get involved and register with TrustMark, we are running an integrated communications campaign. Activities include social media, partnerships and a range of media and stakeholder engagements.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to announce details of (1) the measures to be within the scope of the Green Homes Grant scheme, and (2) how that scheme will operate.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Guidance and further details about the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme were published on 28 August on the GOV.UK website. This included information on eligibility, items where support can be claimed as part of energy efficiency measure installations, as well as items that will not be paid for under the voucher scheme.
The new scheme will see the Government fund up to two thirds of the cost of home improvements of over 600,000 homes, supporting over 100,000 jobs in green construction. Consumers in England will be able to claim the new vouchers, which are worth up to £5,000. Households on low income can receive vouchers covering 100% of the cost of the improvements, up to a maximum of £10,000.