Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that people most adversely affected by the covid-19 pandemic receive the warm home discount to which they are entitled.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
This winter (2020/21), around 1 million Pension Credit Guarantee Credit recipients will receive the rebate automatically on their energy bills, as a result of data matching between the Department for Work and Pensions and participating energy suppliers. A further 200,000 low income pensioners, who meet some of the eligibility criteria, will receive a letter from Government encouraging them to claim via a dedicated helpline if they meet the remaining criteria. Of these, over 45,000 have claimed a rebate through calling the helpline so far.
To make sure that all eligible pensioners claim the support to which they are rightly entitled, in 2020 Government ran a nationwide 12-week campaign to raise awareness of Pension Credit, and launched a new online claim service, which improves access.
In addition to the Core Group, over 1.1 million vulnerable and low income households will also receive a Warm Home Discount rebate through the Broader Group, which is administered by energy suppliers.
To help vulnerable energy customers during the pandemic, Government negotiated a Voluntary Agreement with energy suppliers, to support customers impacted by COVID-19 who may be struggling with their energy bills and help to keep them on supply. Additionally, the Energy Price Cap has continued to protect around 15 million households on default and prepayment meter tariffs. Government also operates other schemes, such as the Cold Weather Payments and Winter Fuel Payment, which help vulnerable households with their winter energy costs.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
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 Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission's 2015 Joint Consultation Paper, Unfair Terms in Contracts?, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recommendations made in that Paper on protecting small businesses from unfair contract clauses.
Answered by Paul Scully
Following the joint consultation paper, the Department held two calls for evidence relating to the protection of small business when buying goods and services. As a result, it has decided not to intervene in the contractual relations agreed between businesses outside of certain sectors such as groceries and pubs. The second call for evidence led to the establishment of the Small Business Commissioner by the Department.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how the Government is supporting the implementation of the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan which calls for women’s equal participation in climate change negotiations through its Presidency of COP26.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The UK is fully committed to implementing and facilitating the implementation of the enhanced UNFCCC Gender Action Plan agreed at COP25, both domestically and internationally. We welcome the steps taken so far by Parties, non-Party stakeholders and the UNFCCC Secretariat to centre gender equality in climate action. We continue to call on all countries to implement the Gender Action Plan and to develop gender-responsive climate policies, plans, strategies and actions.
We recognise the impact of climate change on women and girls, in particular those from the global south or indigenous communities. The UK is committed to providing sufficient space for key constituencies, including women and girls from these communities, to participate and express their views. For example, through the UK-funded Climate Ambition Support Alliance, we are supporting the ECBI (European Capacity Building Initiative) ‘Women Negotiator Mentoring Initiative.’ This initiative will help to level the playing field in international climate negotiations, not only in terms of developed and developing countries, but also between men and women.
More broadly, the UK is committed to championing diversity and inclusivity throughout our COP26 Presidency. Our network of leaders, diplomatic representatives and expert voices reflect this in all of their work. We are also working with a diverse group of "Friends of COP" - leading world figures who are sharing their expertise for a successful summit.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the effect of climate change on gender equality and women and girls in the global south is being tackled through its presidency of COP26.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
Through our Presidency of COP26, we will support all to be active agents of change in addressing climate and environment issues. We will champion women, indigenous people and other key groups roles as decision-makers, educators and climate leaders in order to deliver effective, long-term solutions to climate change. For example, through the UK-funded Climate Ambition Support Alliance, we are supporting the ECBI (European Capacity Building Initiative) ‘Women Negotiator Mentoring Initiative.’ This initiative will help to level the playing field in international climate negotiations, not only in terms of developed and developing countries, but also between men and women.
The UK is also fully committed to implementing and facilitating the implementation of the Gender Action Plan agreed at COP25, both domestically and internationally. We recognise that the Gender Action Plan is a valuable tool in addressing the differentiated impacts of climate change and continue to call on all countries to develop gender-responsive climate policies, plans, strategies and actions.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to improve (a) recruitment and (b) retention of key workers during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Government defines key workers as those whose work are critical to the Coronavirus response. This includes those who work in the health and social care sectors, as well as in education and childcare, transport, food and delivery, utilities, communications, public safety, and the Government.
To assist retention, schools will provide essential support to the most vulnerable children and the children of those identified as key workers.
In addition, the Department of Health and Social Care is enhancing the capacity and flexible deployment of staff across essential services, for example:
By protecting the employment rights of NHS volunteers.