Asked by: Glyn Davies (Conservative - Montgomeryshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of domestic energy consumers switched tariff in each of the last three years; and what proportion of those consumers were switching from standard variable tariffs to fixed rate tariffs.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Data is published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on switching. The data is collected by Ofgem and republished by BEIS in Table 2.7.1 of which can be found online (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/quarterly-domestic-energy-switching-statistics ).
The number of domestic energy supplier switches as a proportion of total customer numbers in Great Britain is as follows:
Year | Proportion of electricity customers switching supplier | Proportion of gas customers switching supplier |
2013 | 12% | 10% |
2014 | 11% | 10% |
2015 | 12% | 12% |
This is calculated by combining all switches made within the year, divided by the total domestic customers. Multiple switches made by the same customer within each year are counted as separate switches. The number of customer switching from standard variable to fixed rate tariffs is not collected or held by BEIS.
Asked by: Glyn Davies (Conservative - Montgomeryshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many domestic consumers whose energy was supplied by one of the Big Six suppliers and who were on a standard variable tariff switched tariff (a) with the same supplier and (b) to a new supplier in each of the last three years.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy collect data on the type of tariff which customers are on for the big six energy suppliers as part of our domestic fuels inquiry. We do not collect or hold data for customers and therefore cannot identify how long a customer has been with the same supplier or which customers have moved to a new supplier.
Asked by: Glyn Davies (Conservative - Montgomeryshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the (a) mode and (b) mean length of time is that Big Six energy customers stay on their supplier's standard variable tariff.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not hold information on the length of time that a customer has been on the same tariff.
Asked by: Glyn Davies (Conservative - Montgomeryshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to support British steelmaking.
Answered by Anna Soubry
This Government has taken unprecedented action to help our steel industry.
We’re cutting electricity costs by hundreds of millions, tackling unfair trade and are the first EU country to introduce new flexibility in public procurement.
We have also offered an unparalleled package of support to secure the long term future of Tata Steel’s UK operations.
That is what the steel industry has asked for and that is what we are delivering.
Asked by: Glyn Davies (Conservative - Montgomeryshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what criteria her Department uses to designate technologies as less established for the purpose of Contract for Difference auctions.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
In designating technologies in the less established group, we considered which technologies could have a significant long-term role in the UK energy mix, and where there remains significant potential for future cost reduction.
Asked by: Glyn Davies (Conservative - Montgomeryshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to publish further details of the next Contract for Difference auction; and which technologies she plans will be eligible for inclusion in that auction.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
As announced by the Secretary of State in her speech in November, the current intention is to hold the next CFD allocation round for ‘less established’ technologies (pot 2) in late 2016.
We will set out details around future rounds in due course.
Asked by: Glyn Davies (Conservative - Montgomeryshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans she has for supporting the development of tidal energy projects.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
The Government recognises the potential that tidal energy could play as part of the UK energy mix.
We are considering how best we can support the development of tidal stream energy, following my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s autumn speech.
On 10 February the Government announced that it will commission an independent review to assess the strategic case for tidal lagoons and whether they could represent good value for consumers. We anticipate that the review will be completed in due course.