Written Question
Monday 24th October 2022
Asked by:
Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question
to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to consumers in (a) Lancashire and (b) England of gas transmission costs as a proportion of total energy costs.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Gas transmission charges for the North West region under the Ofgem price cap for October 2022 are £14.32 per domestic customer per year based on typical gas consumption levels (excluding VAT). This compares to a Great Britain-wide average of £15.75. Gas transmission charges represent less than 1% of a typical domestic dual fuel energy bill.
Written Question
Monday 24th October 2022
Asked by:
Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question
to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department plans to take to measure local consent for fracking.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government will come forward with proposals in due course.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 19 Oct 2022
Ban on Fracking for Shale Gas Bill
"Fracking—again! To be honest, since the moment I was elected to this House I have spoken in probably every single debate on this subject, because for my constituents in Lancashire this is something that really matters. It has a tangible effect on their lives with the fracking application on Preston …..."Cat Smith - View Speech
View all Cat Smith (Lab - Lancaster and Wyre) contributions to the debate on: Ban on Fracking for Shale Gas Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 22 Sep 2022
Energy Prices: Support for Business
"Many small businesses in the Lune valley and Over Wyresdale in my constituency use heating oil. Although the price has not increased as much or as fast as the gas price, it has still increased exponentially and many small businesses are really struggling to know how they will make ends …..."Cat Smith - View Speech
View all Cat Smith (Lab - Lancaster and Wyre) contributions to the debate on: Energy Prices: Support for Business
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 22 Sep 2022
Shale Gas Extraction
"It appears that the only person who believes that fracking will lower our gas prices is the Secretary of State. That view is certainly not backed up by anyone in industry, and there is no question over the environmentally damaging nature of fracking. However, one thing that he is perhaps …..."Cat Smith - View Speech
View all Cat Smith (Lab - Lancaster and Wyre) contributions to the debate on: Shale Gas Extraction
Written Question
Tuesday 21st June 2022
Asked by:
Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question
to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will extend the Energy Bills Support Scheme to cover those who live on houseboats and who purchase their electricity via a marina owner.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is aware that not all households have electricity provided through a domestic electricity supply contract, such as houseboat residents. This was raised in the government’s technical consultation (Energy Bills Support Scheme – Managing the impact of the energy price shock on consumer bills) which closed on 23 May. Households without a domestic electricity supply contract are not eligible for the Scheme and the government is exploring options for other ways in which they might receive similar support. Responses to the consultation are being analysed and the Government response will be published in the summer.
Written Question
Monday 13th June 2022
Asked by:
Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question
to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will introduce a price cap on heating oil.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government has carefully considered the introduction of a price cap to help heating oil customers with high fuel prices. However, the Government’s analysis indicates that a cap would not be in the long-term interests of consumers.
The existing gas and electricity price cap was designed to protect consumers on default tariffs from the loyalty penalty, which the Competitions and Markets Authority warned was causing customers to be overcharged. The structure of the heating oil market is different and imposing a price cap below wholesale costs would drive companies out of the market, reducing competition and possibly result in supply shortages.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 19 Apr 2022
Energy Security Strategy
"In 2019—it was during the general election campaign, but I am sure that was just a coincidence—the Government said that fracking in Lancashire would be off the table, that there would be a moratorium and that the wells would be filled with concrete. May I ask the Secretary of State …..."Cat Smith - View Speech
View all Cat Smith (Lab - Lancaster and Wyre) contributions to the debate on: Energy Security Strategy
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 29 Mar 2022
Oral Answers to Questions
"T2. We have world-leading motor neurone disease scientists here in the UK who are on the cusp of developing the first ever treatments for this disease. Patients, scientists and charities were promised that by the end of January we would know how the £50 million of targeted MND research funding …..."Cat Smith - View Speech
View all Cat Smith (Lab - Lancaster and Wyre) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 15 Mar 2022
Shale Gas Production
"In his contribution, the hon. Member for Ashfield (Lee Anderson) characterised his constituents as “real people”; I assure him that the people of Lancashire are real people. The people of Lancaster and Fleetwood whom I represent are completely opposed to fracking in Lancashire, and I am sure that I speak …..."Cat Smith - View Speech
View all Cat Smith (Lab - Lancaster and Wyre) contributions to the debate on: Shale Gas Production