Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of the total Disability Cost of Living Payments due to people in Ogmore constituency have been paid as of 8 November 2022.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
In line with the code of practice, the number of Cost of Living Payments made to recipients of a specific constituency is the subject of an upcoming statistical release, and cannot be released before that publication is ready, subject to usual quality assurance.
It is not possible to determine how many people are due a Cost of Living Payment, as entitlement may not have been established at the time the payments were made. We will periodically make payments to people who have later been found to be eligible and have not yet received a payment. The payments will continue to be made automatically in the same way the qualifying benefit or tax credit is paid.
The timetable for when Cost of Living Payments are made is published here: Cost of Living Payment - GOV.UK.
The Department for Work and Pensions has published management information on the total number of Disability Cost of Living Payments made. As of 30 September 2022, 6,000,000 Disability Cost of Living payments had been made.
The information which will be updated as new payments are made can be found here: Cost of Living Payment management information - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many £150 Disability Cost of Living Payments have been paid in Ogmore constituency as of 8 November 2022.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
In line with the code of practice, the number of Cost of Living Payments made to recipients of a specific constituency is the subject of an upcoming statistical release, and cannot be released before that publication is ready, subject to usual quality assurance.
The Department for Work and Pensions has published management information on the total number of Disability Cost of Living Payments made. As of 30 September 2022, 6,000,000 Disability Cost of Living Payments had been made.
The information which will be updated as new payments are made can be found here: Cost of Living Payment management information - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have claimed (a) Widowed Parent's Allowance and (b) the Bereavement Support Payment since the eligibility of those payments was extended to surviving cohabiting partners with dependent children who were not in a legal union with the deceased on the date of death.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
We cannot currently accept claims for Widowed Parent’s Allowance or Bereavement Support Payment from those who were not in a legal union with their deceased partner. This is because the draft Bereavement Benefits (Remedial) Order, which proposes to extend eligibility for these benefits to surviving cohabiting partners with dependent children, has not yet become law. We laid the draft Order in Parliament on 13 October 2022. It will lay in Parliament for a 60-day period, and will need to be debated and voted upon in both Houses of Parliament before it can become law.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on plans for regeneration of coalfield communities in the next five years.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed. This Government is, however, committed to levelling up the UK by spreading opportunity more equally across the country, investing in places that need it most, including coalfield communities. Several former coalfield communities are benefiting from our Towns Fund, including Goldthorpe and Mansfield which have Town Deals running until 2025/26. Through our Community Ownership Fund, coalfield communities can apply for funding to save assets like local pubs, shops and sports clubs from closure - like the CANA resource and training centre in Rhondda Cynon Taf which received funding in Round 1.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
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 plans on support for renewables and nuclear in the British energy security strategy, published in April 2022, if he will publish a timescale for spending in these areas.
Answered by Graham Stuart
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.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many claims have been made for the first £400 instalment of the Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers by households in Ogmore.
Answered by Graham Stuart
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.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many households in Ogmore which are eligible for the first £400 instalment of the Energy Bill Support Scheme have not yet claimed it.
Answered by Graham Stuart
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.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many households in Ogmore constituency will not be covered by the Government's energy price cap.
Answered by Graham Stuart
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.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
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 make an estimate of the number of small businesses that have moved their businesses online because they were not able to afford their energy bills in the latest period for which data is available; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
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.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
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 is taking steps to introduce financial incentives to encourage community energy schemes during the cost of living crisis; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
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.