Asked by: Faisal Rashid (Labour - Warrington South)
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 it his policy to nationalise British Steel.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
Nationalisation would change the ownership of the plant, but not how it operates. It would require the Government to take on the company’s outstanding financial obligations and may not provide the necessary legal security and protection for taxpayers’ investment.
Once nationalised, in line with strict state aid rules for steel, the Government would have to act in the same was as any private owner, thinking principally of making a profit.
Asked by: Faisal Rashid (Labour - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government has taken steps to ensure that the new Smart Export Guarantee scheme will be in place before the Feed-in Tariffs scheme ends.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Feed-in Tariffs scheme will close to new applicants, subject to certain time limited grace periods and extensions, on 31 March 2019.
On 8 January, the Government published a consultation on the future for small-scale low-carbon generation, providing visibility of the proposals for a Smart Export Guarantee. This consultation will close on 5 March; responses will be analysed to inform future policy development, and government will respond in due course.
Asked by: Faisal Rashid (Labour - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, apart from Hinkley Point, what plans the Government has to construct new nuclear power stations.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
As my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State said in his statement to the House on 17 January, this Government continues to believe that nuclear has a vital role to play in the UK’s energy future as we transition to the low carbon economy, but it must represent good value for taxpayers and consumers. We understand that developers are actively engaged in planning of nuclear power stations at Sizewell C and Bradwell. Discussions with Hitachi in respect of the future of the Wylfa and Oldbury sites are ongoing.
Asked by: Faisal Rashid (Labour - Warrington South)
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 consumers are notified that their energy tariff is ending in time to make preparations to find the cheapest tariff.
Answered by Claire Perry
Ofgem Licence Conditions currently require energy supply companies to provide their customers with a notification, no earlier than 49 days and no later than 42 days before the end of their fixed term contract is due to end.
From 11 February 2019 this rule will be one of many, replaced by principles-based rules on customer communications that will provide flexibility on when notifications can be sent. These principles will require suppliers to send notices before the end of a fixed term deal at a time designed to prompt customers to take action, while also leaving reasonable time for the customer to make an informed choice about the tariff options available.
More information on these changes can be found online at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/final-decision-domestic-supplier-customer-communications-rulebook-reforms.
Asked by: Faisal Rashid (Labour - Warrington South)
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 Industrial Strategy for Construction 2025, published in 2013, what progress his Department has made on the introduction of a licensing scheme for building companies to protect consumers from rogue traders.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 2nd November to Question 184422. We remain in a dialogue with the industry about this and other issues, as part of our regular discussions with the construction sector.
Asked by: Faisal Rashid (Labour - Warrington South)
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 Government’s Industrial Strategy for Construction 2025, published in 2013, whether his Department has made plans to introduce a licensing scheme for building companies to protect consumers from rogue traders.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The Construction Sector Deal sets a strategy for improving the competitiveness of the UK construction sector through investing in innovation and skills development, and through improving business practices within the sector. It does not include a commitment to introduce a licensing scheme for the construction sector. We remain is a dialogue with the industry about this and other issues, as part of our regular discussions with the construction sector.