Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the lifetime bill savings for homes who have had energy efficiency measures installed under the Energy Company Obligation since its inception in 2013.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Between January 2013 and March 2021, approximately 1.6 million measures have been delivered through the Affordable Warmth element of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), targeted at reducing home heating costs for low income, fuel poor and vulnerable people, corresponding to an estimated £16.2bn in lifetime bill savings.
Details are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/household-energy-efficiency-statistics-headline-release-june-2021 (Table 2.1).
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to issue a third Life Sciences Sector Deal.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
In Summer 2021, the Government will publish a new Life Science Vision which will set out our ambitious plans for the next decade to ensure the UK’s scientific excellence, partnered with the dynamism of industry, is positioned to assist the NHS in solving the most pressing health challenges of our generation now and in the future. The Vision is being jointly developed by Government and the sector to ensure we maintain the UK’s position as a global life science leader – building on the successes of rapid scientific and technological development during the pandemic - especially in vaccines and research - and benefitting from the regulatory freedoms and opportunities created by Brexit.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has plans to strengthen workplace guidance by highlighting how businesses can confirm the efficacy claims of the (a) hand sanitiser and (b) surface disinfectant products they are purchasing in order to protect staff and customers.
Answered by Paul Scully
BEIS has worked closely with Health and Safety Executive and Public Health England to ensure that the Safer Working guidance for businesses is based on the most up to date understanding of Covid-19. Guidance is kept under constant review and it is updated accordingly. Businesses should carry out Covid-19 risk assessments and follow the Safer Working guidance.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has plans to require (a) hand sanitiser and (b) surface disinfectant products to demonstrate their efficacy claims via appropriate testing in an accredited laboratory.
Answered by Paul Scully
BEIS has worked closely with Health and Safety Executive and Public Health England to ensure that the Safer Working guidance for businesses is based on the most up to date understanding of Covid-19. Guidance is kept under constant review and it is updated accordingly. Businesses should carry out Covid-19 risk assessments and follow the Safer Working guidance.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
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 made an assessment of the adequacy of existing requirements on (a) hand sanitiser and (b) surface disinfectant products to prove efficacy claims made in their marketing and packaging via appropriate testing in an accredited laboratory.
Answered by Paul Scully
BEIS has worked closely with Health and Safety Executive and Public Health England to ensure that the Safer Working guidance for businesses is based on the most up to date understanding of Covid-19. Guidance is kept under constant review and it is updated accordingly. Businesses should carry out Covid-19 risk assessments and follow the Safer Working guidance.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Government's Covid-19 Response: Spring 2021 document, published in February 2021, CP 398, whether office workers and corporate building occupiers are permitted to return to covid-secure physical workspaces under the terms of Step 3 of the roadmap set out in that document.
Answered by Paul Scully
People should currently continue to only travel to work if it is not reasonable for them to work from home. On 29 March, the Stay at Home message will be removed. However, people should continue to work from home where they can. We have published COVID-Secure guidance which sets out the steps that businesses should take to keep their staff and customers safe, if they are permitted to open. The Government will update COVID-Secure guidance to provide further advice on how businesses can improve fresh air flow in indoor workplaces and introduce regular testing.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what guidance he plans to publish to raise awareness that essential businesses affected by covid-19 restrictions are eligible for the lockdown discretionary grant fund announced on 5 January 2021.
Answered by Paul Scully
Guidance for the January Business Support Package was published on 13th January. The discretionary funding announced on 5th January provides further resource to the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG). The ARG is a discretionary fund which is managed by local authorities. As such, schemes vary between areas and are managed and advertised locally.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is prioritising households using legacy prepayment meters for smart meter upgrades; and what steps he is taking to deliver those upgrades.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
Smart meters bring significant benefits to prepayment consumers and have been invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic. Smart prepayment services enable consumers to top-up remotely without leaving home and without needing to reach inaccessible meters. They also allow consumers to track their balance easily so they do not unknowingly run out of credit.
Energy suppliers are installing second generation smart (SMETS2) meters in prepayment mode across Great Britain. The Government has taken a number of steps to ensure that consumers with low incomes or with prepayment meters can benefit from smart meters. For example, the Government put in place an explicit objective for Smart Energy GB (the industry body responsible for leading coordinated consumer engagement) to assist consumers with low incomes or prepayment meters. Establishing partnerships with trusted organisations, including local community groups, to provide training and tailored information on smart metering has helped to raise awareness of smart metering, ensuring that all consumers are able to realise the benefits as soon as practicable.