Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the impact of storms (a) Dudley, (b) Eunice and (c) Franklin on (i) workers and (ii) operations in the North Sea oil and gas industry.
Answered by Greg Hands
No significant impacts on North Sea oil and gas workers or operations have been reported as a result of recent storms. The UKs offshore oil and gas sector is accustomed to weather events, and offshore installations are designed to remain in production in a wide range of weather conditions. Exposed activities, such as maintenance, may be temporarily paused and logistical operations such as workforce transportation may be affected, but operators remain resilient and plan accordingly.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the impact of storms (a) Dudley, (b) Eunice and (c) Franklin on working patterns in the North Sea oil and gas industry.
Answered by Greg Hands
No significant impacts on North Sea oil and gas workers or operations have been reported as a result of recent storms. The UKs offshore oil and gas sector is accustomed to weather events, and offshore installations are designed to remain in production in a wide range of weather conditions. Exposed activities, such as maintenance, may be temporarily paused and logistical operations such as workforce transportation may be affected, but operators remain resilient and plan accordingly.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has any plans to help mitigate the disproportionate effect of high energy prices on all electric homes.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is monitoring the significant increases in wholesale energy prices closely, and meeting regularly with Ofgem, suppliers and consumer groups to understand the future impact on consumers as well as to discuss potential mitigations.
The Government is committed to protecting energy customers, especially the most vulnerable. The Government has announced a package of support to help households with rising energy bills, worth £9.1 billion in 2022-23. This includes a £200 discount on their energy bill this Autumn for domestic electricity customers in Great Britain. This will be paid back automatically over the next 5 years. There will be a £150 non-repayable rebate in Council Tax bills for all households in Bands A-D in England. Additionally, the Government announced £144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax rebate.
The Energy Price Cap will continue to protect consumers, ensuring they pay a fair price for their energy this winter. Low income and fuel poor households will continue to be supported with their energy bills through the Warm Home Discount, which provides eligible households with a £140 discount. Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments will ensure that the most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes through the winter. The £500 million Household Support Fund will support vulnerable households with essentials over the coming months.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the impact of increased electricity prices on all electric homes.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is monitoring the significant increases in wholesale energy prices closely, and meeting regularly with Ofgem, suppliers and consumer groups to understand the future impact on consumers as well as to discuss potential mitigations.
The Government is committed to protecting energy customers, especially the most vulnerable. The Government has announced a package of support to help households with rising energy bills, worth £9.1 billion in 2022-23. This includes a £200 discount on their energy bill this Autumn for domestic electricity customers in Great Britain. This will be paid back automatically over the next 5 years. There will be a £150 non-repayable rebate in Council Tax bills for all households in Bands A-D in England. Additionally, the Government announced £144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax rebate.
The Energy Price Cap will continue to protect consumers, ensuring they pay a fair price for their energy this winter. Low income and fuel poor households will continue to be supported with their energy bills through the Warm Home Discount, which provides eligible households with a £140 discount. Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments will ensure that the most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes through the winter. The £500 million Household Support Fund will support vulnerable households with essentials over the coming months.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has plans to launch a public consultation on the potential impacts of mandating hydrogen-ready boilers.
Answered by Greg Hands
In the Heat and Building Strategy, the Government committed to consulting shortly on the case for enabling, or requiring, new gas boilers to be readily convertible to hydrogen (‘hydrogen-ready’) by 2026, to prepare homes for a potential hydrogen conversion.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of conducting multiple hydrogen village trials by 2025 to better inform a policy decision on hydrogen for heating buildings by 2026.
Answered by Greg Hands
I refer the Hon. Member to answer I gave my Hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley on 10th December 2021 to Question 86217.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of blending 20 per cent hydrogen into the national grid by 2023.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is working with the Health and Safety Executive, Ofgem and industry to understand safety, operability and value for money for blending hydrogen into the grid, including following emerging evidence from industry trials such as HyDeploy. The Government will make a decision once there is sufficient evidence on both technical safety and financial viability. The Government will be prioritising the economic assessment of hydrogen blending and will make a decision at the end of 2023 at the earliest.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that a decision on blending 20 per cent hydrogen into the gas grid is delivered by 2023 at the latest.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is working with the Health and Safety Executive, Ofgem and industry to understand safety, operability and value for money for blending hydrogen into the grid, including following emerging evidence from industry trials such as HyDeploy. The Government will make a decision once there is sufficient evidence on both technical safety and financial viability. The Government will be prioritising the economic assessment of hydrogen blending and will make a decision at the end of 2023 at the earliest.