Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
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 assessment of the potential impact of not including (a) swimming pools and (b) other leisure services in the list of sectors eligible for the Energy and Trade Intensive Industries scheme on their financial viability.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
During the review of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, a large number of contributions from the private sector, trade associations, the voluntary sector and other types of organisations were assessed. These included leisure centres and swimming pools. The Government has taken a consistent approach to identifying the most energy and trade intensive sectors. All sectors that meet agreed thresholds for energy and trade intensity will be eligible for Energy and Trade Intensive Industries support. These thresholds have been set at sectors falling above the 80th percentile for energy intensity and 60th percentile for trade intensity, plus any sectors eligible for the existing energy compensation and exemption schemes.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made with Cabinet colleagues of the impact of the cost of living crisis on levels of fuel poverty.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The official fuel poverty statistics, including the impact of high energy prices on fuel poor households, are due to be published next month.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department will respond substantively to the correspondence of 4 October 2022 from the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, reference MCB2022/23191.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Climate wrote to the hon. Member on 15 November about the Energy Bill Relief Scheme.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers issued to traditional prepayment meter customers; and how many have so far been redeemed in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Suppliers are reporting to the Department on scheme delivery, including the redemption of prepayment meter vouchers. These figures will be published in due course.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on holding online marketplaces responsible for the safety of products sold on their platforms.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises that whilst the growth of eCommerce has brought benefits for consumers and businesses, it has also brought new challenges, including the sale of non-compliant and unsafe products via online marketplaces, often by third-party sellers.
This is one of the reasons the Government is conducting a review of the Product Safety framework. The Government Response to the Call for Evidence published in November 2021 is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-product-safety-review-call-for-evidence. A consultation, including proposals to take further steps to address unsafe products sold online, is currently being finalised.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to provide a substantive written response to the correspondence of 2 September 2022 from the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, reference MCSL2022/20612.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Climate wrote to the Hon. Member on 12 October about energy cost support for businesses, and on 25 October about standing charges.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
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 is taking to help ensure that people who buy goods via online marketplaces are afforded the same level of consumer protections as customers who buy goods in person on the high street.
Answered by Paul Scully
There is already robust legislation in place that protects consumers when purchasing goods and services online. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets out the rights consumers enjoy while shopping online and in store. Online consumers have additional rights over and above on-premises rights, and are able to cancel orders for any reason and seek a full refund.
The Department recently consulted on advancing online consumer rights in its “Reforming Competition and Consumer Policy” consultation. A copy of the consultation can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-competition-and-consumer-policy. The consultation closed on 1 October and the Department will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
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 take steps to ensure that (a) preservation of jobs and (b) payment of wages are conditions for support offered to business during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Government has outlined an unprecedented package of measures to protect millions of people’s jobs and incomes as part of the national effort in response to Coronavirus.
A new Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be set up to help pay people’s wages. Employers will be able to contact HMRC, who will reimburse 80% of furloughed workers wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. This will apply to members of the workforce who remain on businesses’ payroll, but are temporarily unable to work due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
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 regulate the sale of ex-emergency service vehicles.
Answered by Margot James
The Government does not regulate the sale of decommissioned emergency fire and rescue vehicles. It is for each emergency rescue authority to dispose appropriately of its assets as it sees fit.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of a UK withdrawal from the EU on the UK's digital industries.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The UK is home to a thriving digital sector, worth £118.3 billion and equivalent to 7.3% of UK GVA. 43% of the UK tech sector’s total exports go to the EU.
Digital Single Market reforms could be worth £330 billion a year to the EU economy. This is a clear example of how the single market benefits the UK digital industries.
The Government's position is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.