Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the draft Audit Reform Bill.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government published its Response to the White Paper, ‘Restoring Trust in Audit and Corporate Governance’ on 31 May 2022. The Response stated that the reforms will be delivered by a variety of mechanisms. This includes changes already made by the regulator and by Ministerial Direction. The Government is committed to legislating when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many liquified petroleum gas retailers there are in the UK; how many have closed in the past year; and what plans they have to ensure supplies continue for the next decade.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not collect this data. However, Liquid Gas UK reports that they know of 31 companies which distribute liquid petroleum gas (LPG) to customers and businesses across the UK and none have closed in the past year.
The UK continues to enjoy a robust supply chain for LPG, which is met by domestic production and by imported cargoes. The Government works closely with industry to monitor the LPG supply position throughout the year and proactively take steps to mitigate any risks that may affect distribution to customers and essential services.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they intend to make of the safety of menstrual and adult continence products, particularly with regard to skin sensitising and hormonal effects; and what plans they have to regulate tampons as medical devices.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK has a comprehensive regulatory framework that covers the safety of menstrual and adult continence products. This requires producers and distributors to ensure their products are safe before they are placed on the market.
The safety of these products is regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 in addition to other product specific laws. Manufacturers are required to ensure a product does not present any risk or only the minimum risks compatible with the product’s use.
There are no current plans to regulate tampons as medical devices.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to identify, and (2) to support, the estimated two million households on non-digital pay-as-you-go energy meters; and what plans they have, if any, to assess the scale of energy self-disconnection this winter.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Traditional prepayment meter customers will automatically receive the same discount per unit of energy as other customers through the Energy Price Guarantee.
Ofgem’s rules require energy suppliers to identify and support prepayment meter customers at risk of self-disconnection through the provision of emergency credit and additional support credit. Ofgem has recently undertaken a Market Compliance Review assessing how suppliers support customers in vulnerable situations, including those on prepayment meters. To drive improvements, Ofgem has started compliance engagement with suppliers and asked them to take action to address the weaknesses that have been identified.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to stop all support for offshore hydrocarbon extraction in the Arctic region and foster co-operation with the Arctic Council on the issue.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In line with UK policy, the UK Government no longer provides new direct financial or promotional support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas, other than in limited circumstances, such as to support clean cooking fuel in developing countries.
Decisions on oil and gas activities, including hydrocarbon extraction in the Arctic region, are matters for the relevant national authorities.
Decisions at all levels in the Arctic Council are the exclusive rights of the Arctic States with the involvement of the Permanent Participants, with the UK as a State Observer.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of electricity usage by digital advertising boards and shop signs in England; and what plans they have (1) to promote, or (2) to legislate for, switching off these boards during periods when the electricity system is under pressure.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not hold data on electricity usage by digital advertising boards and shop signs in England.
National Grid has launched the electricity Demand Flexibility Service, a voluntary service to reward users who reduce their electricity demand at peak times. This is open to a variety of consumers, primarily through their supplier.
The Government continues to work closely with industry to develop our response options for when the system is under pressure, and National Grid has standard, long-standing procedures in place in the extremely unlikely event of an emergency on the energy network.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what diplomatic efforts they are making to encourage the inclusion of carbon emissions from militaries in UNFCCC emissions reporting; and what progress they have made.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK Government encourages Parties to report to the UNFCCC on all relevant emissions, including those from military sources, in line with UNFCCC best practice. The UK sets its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory in accordance with international guidelines and emissions from some military sources (e.g. aircraft and shipping) are already included.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the draft Audit Reform Bill; what resources they have allocated to drafting the bill; and when they expect to consult stakeholders on a draft of the bill.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Work is continuing towards a draft Bill on reform of audit and corporate governance, for publication in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to keeping British Summer Time through the winter to reduce energy demand.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government believes the current daylight-saving arrangements represent the optimal use of the available daylight across the UK.
While there is the potential for some benefits from a change in the current arrangements, there is also a real risk of negative impacts. A change to permanent summertime or double summertime may also have significant impacts on certain sectors and businesses.
There is insufficient evidence to support changing the current system of clock changes, including for energy usage.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons behind the rise in notifications of security incidents to the Office for Nuclear Regulation in 2021, to more than double than the number in 2018.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Nuclear security is a top priority for the Government and all civil nuclear operators are answerable to the independent Office for Nuclear Regulation, which enforces robust security requirements and reporting obligations. The vast majority (80-90%) of the incidents reported were minor breaches of operators’ arrangements and ONR’s analysis indicates that the rise reflects improvements in security awareness, culture and reporting, rather than a decline. ONR strongly encourages operators to report all minor matters as this provides the regulator with rich regulatory intelligence and enables trend monitoring.