Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what measures are in place to protect vulnerable households from fuel poverty following the increase in the energy price cap in July 2026.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Tackling affordability is this government’s number one priority. The Government acted at last year’s Budget by taking on average £150 of costs off energy bills, with those decisions now factored into bills for the years to come
The recent rise in the price cap announced by Ofgem will be deeply concerning news for families. That is why we are doubling down on our mission for clean power to get us off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel prices and onto clean, homegrown power to bring down bills for good
In addition, around 6 million households in Britain will have benefitted from our expanded £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, which will remain in place for the rest of the decade. We understand that the developments in the Middle East are concerning: we will continue to monitor the situation ahead of the winter and plan for all contingencies.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the case for extending equivalent consumer protections to heating oil customers as those provided by Ofgem's energy price cap to gas and electricity customers.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government is aware of the issues facing some heating oil customers and is committed to ensuring they are effectively protected from future fossil fuel price spikes.
We welcome the CMA’s comprehensive examination of the heating oil industry, and we will work closely with the CMA to understand their findings and develop options to increase consumer protections in this sector.
This will include considering how regulation can give consumers more confidence.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps the Government is taking to protect off-grid rural households in North East Hampshire that rely on heating oil from price increases following the conflict in Iran; and what assessment his Department has made of the financial hardship caused by those price rises.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working closely with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is reviewing the heating oil market, including pricing. We will carefully consider the CMA’s report and recommendations to ensure a fair outcome for consumers, and we are clear that we will not tolerate unfair practices or exploitative behaviour in the market. The Government recognises the pressures that price volatility can place on rural and off‑grid households and continues to monitor prices closely. In addition, we are providing £53 million of targeted support for low‑income heating oil households.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the rate of fuel poverty in predominantly rural constituencies compared with urban and suburban constituencies, following recent heating oil price rises.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The latest fuel poverty statistics estimate that 13.8% of rural households in England were in fuel poverty in 2025, compared with 7.2% in semi-rural areas and 9.2% in urban areas. These estimates predate impacts of the conflict in the Middle East.
In March, the Chancellor announced £53 million for low income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices, alongside a commitment to new regulation of this sector. The Government will continue to monitor the situation ahead of the winter and plan for all contingencies. Homeowners living in properties heated by oil and LPG are also eligible for £9,000 off the cost of a heat pump.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of installing solar panels on government‑owned (a) buildings and (b) land.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises there is significant potential to deploy solar across the public estate, which is why we are intensifying efforts to build renewables on public land and the built estate.
A new Cabinet Office-chaired Taskforce will bring department’s together to assess where renewables can be built and support them bringing forward viable projects.
In addition, along with Great British Energy, the Government has invested up to £255 million in solar energy installations and associated technologies on public buildings, supporting around 250 schools, over 270 NHS sites and around 15 military sites across the country.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help protect rural pubs from the impacts of disruption in global energy markets.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are closely monitoring the impact of energy prices on businesses caused by the situation in the middle east. Should there be a need, we will not hesitate to act in a targeted and timely manner as we assess the ongoing impact of this crisis on businesses, SMEs and local industries. We are increasing the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant for properties heated by oil and LPG, taking the total grant to £9,000. This will help SMEs and businesses in England and Wales most impacted by rising energy prices to electrify their heating and provide greater certainty over energy bills.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much and what proportion of funding for low-income oil heating households through the Community Recovery Fund will be allocated to North East Hampshire constituency.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Support for households dependent on heating oil is being delivered through the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
The Community Recovery Fund launched in September 2024 to support those communities impacted by the public disorder that took place between July and August 2024. The Community Recovery Fund will not be used support low-income oil heating households’.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to provide support for communities that host (a) battery storage facilities and (b) other energy infrastructure.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government believes that communities are providing a service to the country when they host clean energy infrastructure, so there needs to be benefit for them. On 21 May, the Government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure and is the process of reviewing responses. We will consider the appropriate technological scope of a mandatory scheme for community benefits, including whether such a scheme should cover grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the (a) potential merits and the (b) feasibility of installing solar panels on government-owned (a) buildings and (b) land.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government strongly supports the installation of solar panels on public sector buildings. These can generate clean power close to demand, and bring down public spending on energy costs. This includes £180 million investment from the UK government and GBE to install rooftop solar panels on schools and hospitals in England, which could see millions invested back into frontline services.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support community energy initiatives in North East Hampshire constituency.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Energy (GBE) will deliver a step change in investment in local and community energy projects, putting communities at the heart of the energy transition as owners and partners in clean energy projects across the UK.
In 2025/26, we have made £5 million available in grant funding through the GBE Community Fund to support community energy groups in helping communities develop their own clean energy projects, delivered through the Greater Southeast Local Net Zero Hub for initiatives in Northeast Hampshire. The latest application round closed on the 7th July.