Chris Elmore

The UK hands the COP Presidency to Egypt in a few days time, at COP27. To avoid and respond to the most catastrophic impacts of a changing climate, COP27 must build on commitments made at COP26.

Households in Great Britain should have automatically received the first instalment of the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) in October. There is no need for customers to claim the discount.

Prepayment meter customers should have received their first Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) discount voucher. These have been sent by SMS text, email or post.

Suppliers are reporting to BEIS on scheme delivery, including the redemption of prepayment meter vouchers. These figures will be published in due course.

The Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) is delivering a £400 non-repayable government discount in instalments over six months from October to March to help 29 million households with energy bills over the winter. The first payment reached consumers in October. There is no need to apply for the discount under the Energy Support Scheme in Great in Britain.

Community energy schemes within Wales have access to support from the Welsh Government.

Ofgem supports community energy projects and welcomes applications from community interest groups, co-operative societies, and community benefit societies to the Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme.

The Government is enabling local areas to tackle net zero goals through UK-wide growth funding schemes. The Government also encourages community energy groups to work closely with their local authority to support the development of community energy projects within these schemes.

Given the level of support already available, the Government has no plans to take further steps to introduce financial incentives for community energy at this time.

Community energy schemes within Wales have access to support from the Welsh Government.

Ofgem supports community energy projects and welcomes applications from community interest groups, co-operative societies, and community benefit societies to the Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme.

The Government is enabling local areas to tackle net zero goals through UK-wide growth funding schemes. The Government also encourages community energy groups to work closely with their local authority to support the development of community energy projects within these schemes.

Given the level of support already available, the Government has no plans to take further steps to introduce financial incentives for community energy at this time.

The Government engages with industry leaders on a range of issues, including energy security and net zero. It is not Government policy to publish Ministerial correspondence.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has made no estimate of the number of small businesses which may have taken the decision to move their activities entirely online.

Every household in the Ogmore constituency on standard gas networks will be covered by the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee scheme, saving around £700 this winter. For those who use off-grid or alternative heating, the Alternative Fuel Payment will provide £100 to support households which do not use mains gas and electricity for heating.

The Department has set out a timetable for delivering the Government’s ambitions for these technologies as part of the British Energy Security Strategy. This builds on the funding commitments set out in the 2021 Spending Review. Future departmental expenditure limits will be agreed with HM Treasury at the next Spending Review.

Chapter 3 of the Government’s White Paper on ‘Restoring Trust in Audit and Corporate Governance’, published in March 2021, set out proposals for companies to report on their resilience planning, and invited views on whether the management of cyber risks (among other things) should form part of a company’s ‘Resilience Statement’. The Government has been carefully considering responses to the consultation on the White Paper and will publish its response in due course, including with regard to the proposed Resilience Statement.

As the administrator of the scheme, the Office of Gas and Energy Markets (Ofgem) undertakes enforcement action as appropriate where companies falsely use the Energy Company Obligation scheme or commit fraud. Ofgem has a dedicated fraud team to deal with such cases.

Simple Energy Advice (SEA) is a government-funded site which offers information for consumers on all BEIS schemes, including ECO. Information can be accessed on their website at www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk or by calling the Simple Energy Advice helpline on 0800 444202.

Information for energy suppliers can be found through delivery guidance published by Ofgem, the scheme administrator, and more information can be found at GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/energy-company-obligation. BEIS and Ofgem also meet regularly with obligated energy suppliers.

The Government has implemented the key recommendations of the independent Each Home Counts Review of consumer advice, protection, standards and enforcement for energy efficiency and renewable energy. This has included the launch of TrustMark as the government endorsed quality mark and the introduction of improved design and installation standards for domestic retrofit (PAS2035:2019 and PAS2030:2019).

All insulation measures under ECO must be carried out by TrustMark registered businesses which adhere to its framework operating requirements, code of conduct and consumer charter.

The Each Home Counts Review did not recommend that Ofgem should regulate installers.

The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) is expected to commission and support others to conduct research in pursuit of its highly ambitious goals, bringing together parties from public and private spheres. This may involve procuring R&D services and equipment to support research goals.

The Bill exempts ARIA from the Public Contracts Regulations, to enable ARIA to procure services, equipment and works relating to its research goals at speed, in a similar way to the private sector.

In addition to the statutory requirement for ARIA’s statement of accounts and annual report to be provided to my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State, and laid before Parliament, ARIA will report publicly on its procurement activities.

The terms of reference for the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry are set out at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/post-office-horizon-it-inquiry-2020/terms-of-reference.

The terms of reference explain that ‘Post Office Ltd’s prosecution function, matters of criminal law, the Horizon group damages settlement, the conduct of current or future litigation relating to Horizon and/or the engagement or findings of any other supervisory or complaints mechanisms, including in the public sector, are outside the Inquiry’s scope’. However, Sir Wyn Williams has explained to Ministers that – although the Inquiry will not discuss matters of substantive criminal law that should properly be decided by the criminal courts – he and his team will receive and consider information from affected postmasters as they give an account of their experiences including incidents relating to investigation, their prosecution and conviction or to look into and comment on aspects of this function as part of the organisation’s governance, leadership and culture.

The Government will continue to discuss the progress and approach to the Inquiry with Sir Wyn Williams.

The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, chaired by retired High Court judge, Sir Wyn Williams FLSW was set up to get the answers the affected postmasters are looking for in a timely manner. A non-statutory Inquiry should be as thorough and robust as a statutory Inquiry but giving the Chair greater flexibility to determine how it is run. Post Office, Fujitsu, UK Government Investment (UKGI), and BEIS are all cooperating fully with the Inquiry, but all options regarding the Inquiry remain on the table, as I said in the House of Commons on 27 April.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The sector is leading the review of the UK content methodology and is responsible for the timelines associated for the review.

Any site, including expansions to existing sites, are eligible to apply for support under the scheme providing they meet the criteria set out in the scheme’s Guidance documentation.

The methodology used to measure the domestic content of offshore wind projects was set out in 2012. The Offshore Wind Sector Deal, which was announced in March 2019, included new commitments on measuring and reporting UK content, with the sector committing to updating its UK content methodology as well as a longer-term move towards increased transparency. As part of the update, the sector plans to develop a more holistic approach by reporting UK content and UK exports. The methodology is currently undergoing review, and the sector will resume publication of the estimates of UK content once the review is complete.

The Government is committed to ensuring that UK steel producers have the best possible chance of competing for and winning the contracts associated with our domestic infrastructure investment.

The publication of the annual steel pipeline on national infrastructure projects and steel data on public sector procurement is part of this commitment. This information serves both as testament to our ambitious plans for the use of UK-sourced steel within our pipeline of major public infrastructure projects, but also as an accountability mechanism, as we work in collaboration with the sector to achieve this shared aim.

In October 2020 we published data of the steel pipeline of offshore wind national infrastructure projects to enable UK steel manufacturers to better plan for these projects.

Going forward, the Government will consider whether to publish annual figures of UK steel used in past offshore wind projects, if it is in the public interest.

My Rt. Hon Friend Mr Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has recently spoken to the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary regarding the unfortunate recent developments at Burntisland Fabrications Limited.

Recognising the impact of these developments on those who are employed at the firm and their families, the UK and Scottish governments have created a joint working group, which has already met twice. While the immediate future of the busines is a matter for the administrators, the working group will position both governments to stand ready to work with potential new investors, with a view to securing a strong future for the site.

The Government is eager to deliver supply chain investment and increase the share of UK manufacturing content in renewable energy projects supported by Contracts for Difference (CfD) contracts. We have confirmed our intention to align the Supply Chain Plan process with government priorities, and we are currently consulting¹ on proposals to introduce consequences for non-delivery of commitments that developers put forward in their Supply Chain Plans, which are approved before they enter the CfD Allocation Round. We are also strengthening the Supply Chain Plan monitoring process to support compliance.

These measures should be seen alongside my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement on £160 million of new funding towards investment to upgrade ports and infrastructure and long-term ambitions to increase renewable energy capacity in the next CfD auction, which, together, will support new UK content, jobs and investment.

I have also convened offshore wind Industry roundtables to understand the supply chain and support investment to meet the industry’s commitment to deliver 60% UK content by 2030. The sector will explore what the future opportunities will be in high-value components for nacelle assembly, floating offshore wind and operations and maintenance and report back in March.

¹ https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/contracts-for-difference-cfd-changes-to-supply-chain-plans-and-the-cfd-contract - Closing date 18th January 2021

The Government’s Trade Credit Reinsurance Scheme will see the majority of Trade Credit Insurance coverage maintained for businesses across the UK. The Scheme operates as a reinsurance arrangement through trade credit insurers which will enable them to continue to write and maintain cover to business throughout the COVID-19 crisis. At present, insurers serving over 80% of the market have signed up to participate in the scheme. There is no need for underlying businesses to sign up to the scheme.

Postmasters are the backbone of the Post Office, and their branches are vital to communities across the country. That is why Government takes Post Office Ltd’s relationship with its postmasters very seriously.

The settlement agreed with the Post Office included all legal and other costs. In those circumstances the Government cannot accept any further request for payment.

The Government wants to make sure lessons are learned from this case, so that such issues do not happen again, and it is of the upmost importance that the Post Office proceeds to undertake its dealings with postmasters openly and transparently. We will announce further details on this in due course.

While publicly owned and accountable to Government for its decisions, Post Office Ltd operates as an independent, commercial business and management of the roll-out of the Horizon accounting system falls within the scope of the Post Office’s responsibilities.

Since 2004, United Kingdom Government Investments, previously known as the Shareholder Executive, has acted as Shareholder Representative for BEIS, overseeing POL’s corporate governance, strategy, and the stewardship of POL’s financial resources on behalf of the shareholder. Prior to 2004, this role was carried out by the Department for Trade and Industry.

It is important that Government takes the Post Office’s relationship with postmasters very seriously and closely monitors the situation. The Post Office, through its new CEO has since accepted he got things wrong. He has apologised and said it aims at establishing a positive relationship with its postmasters. BEIS is working actively with the Post Office on this matter and will hold them to account on their progress.

Postmasters are key to the work of the Post Office, and their branches are vital to communities across the country. That is why Government takes POL's relationship with its postmasters very seriously.

While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. As such, matters encompassed by this litigation, including the relationship between POL and its postmasters, is operational to Post Office Limited. I have asked Nick Read, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member about this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is developing a fact-based evidence base on the key issues that have been raised around fireworks. Key issues that have been raised include the regulation of age restrictions and restricting the sale of fireworks. The evidence base is considering data on noise and disturbance, anti-social behaviour, non-compliance, environmental impact, and the impact on humans and animals. This will build a full picture of the data around fireworks in order to identify whether, and what, further action is appropriate.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is developing a fact-based evidence base on the key issues that have been raised around fireworks. Key issues that have been raised include the regulation of age restrictions and restricting the sale of fireworks. The evidence base is considering data on noise and disturbance, anti-social behaviour, non-compliance, environmental impact, and the impact on humans and animals. This will build a full picture of the data around fireworks in order to identify whether, and what, further action is appropriate.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is developing a fact-based evidence base on the key issues that have been raised around fireworks. Key issues that have been raised include the regulation of age restrictions and restricting the sale of fireworks. The evidence base is considering data on noise and disturbance, anti-social behaviour, non-compliance, environmental impact, and the impact on humans and animals. This will build a full picture of the data around fireworks in order to identify whether, and what, further action is appropriate.

The Future of Compute review was launched on 13 June 2022. It will produce recommendations on the UK’s compute capability over the next decade, and report to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The terms of reference can be found on gov.uk, and outline the objectives, outputs and themes that will be covered by the review.

Zoubin Ghahramani, Professor of Information Engineering at the University of Cambridge and Vice President of Research at Google, was appointed to lead the review. Professor Ghahramani was selected because of his strong credentials in both the applications and fundamentals of computer science, and experience of working in public and private sector capacities.

The lead reviewer will be supported by a panel of experts from across the computing field. These experts will help provide high level oversight and quality assurance of the evidence supporting the final recommendations, similar to the approach taken for previous reviews. Experts were selected to ensure broad expertise in compute applications, including simulation and modelling, and across diverse sections of industry and research communities.

The panellists are:

• Professor Anne Trefethen FREng, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Professor of Scientific Computing, University of Oxford.
• Dr Graham Spittle, CBE, Dean of Innovation at Edinburgh University.
• Shaheen Sayed, Senior Managing Director, Technology Lead, Accenture UK and Ireland.
• Sue Daley, Director of Technology & Innovation, TechUK.

The lead reviewer and panel members will not receive remuneration.

The Future of Compute review was launched on 13 June 2022. It will produce recommendations on the UK’s compute capability over the next decade, and report to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The terms of reference can be found on gov.uk, and outline the objectives, outputs and themes that will be covered by the review.

Zoubin Ghahramani, Professor of Information Engineering at the University of Cambridge and Vice President of Research at Google, was appointed to lead the review. Professor Ghahramani was selected because of his strong credentials in both the applications and fundamentals of computer science, and experience of working in public and private sector capacities.

The lead reviewer will be supported by a panel of experts from across the computing field. These experts will help provide high level oversight and quality assurance of the evidence supporting the final recommendations, similar to the approach taken for previous reviews. Experts were selected to ensure broad expertise in compute applications, including simulation and modelling, and across diverse sections of industry and research communities.

The panellists are:

• Professor Anne Trefethen FREng, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Professor of Scientific Computing, University of Oxford.
• Dr Graham Spittle, CBE, Dean of Innovation at Edinburgh University.
• Shaheen Sayed, Senior Managing Director, Technology Lead, Accenture UK and Ireland.
• Sue Daley, Director of Technology & Innovation, TechUK.

The lead reviewer and panel members will not receive remuneration.