Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when she next plans to hold discussions with Ofgem on estimated trends in the level of energy costs in the next 12 months.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Ministers and officials regularly meet with Ofgem to discuss a range of issues including trends and forecasts for the energy market. Ofgem monitor the energy market including the traded prices for Forward Delivery Contracts for periods many months in advance. Market information that is publicly available is published by Ofgem on their website:
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-data-and-research/data-portal
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to review the Contracts for Difference scheme.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme is continuously kept under review. The Government, for example, invites views on changes to the scheme before each allocation round to ensure the scheme remains fit-for-purpose as our electricity system evolves. The most recent of such reviews, a consultation on proposed changes to the CfD contract was launched on 19 December 2023. Additionally, on 11 January 2024, the Government published a consultation seeking views on proposed amendments for Allocation Round 7, as well as future rounds.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an estimate of how many existing homes which qualify for (a) home insulation and (b) energy efficiency grants have not requested them.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
We do not hold this information in the Department.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing social energy tariffs in the context of trends in the level of energy costs.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Energy prices have fallen significantly since last winter, and the 2024 Q1 price cap of £1,928 has more than halved compared to the previous year when the 2023 Q1 price cap peaked at £4,279. The Government is continuing to support those most in need with millions of households receiving up to £900 in further cost-of-living payments. This is in addition to established support available for vulnerable and low-income through the Winter Fuel Payment, which provided between £250 - £600, and the Warm Homes Discount delivering £150. We are continuing to monitor the situation and keeping options under review.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to require fuel retailers to publish price information.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Government will launch a consultation on the requirement for fuel retailers to provide up to date retail fuel price information shortly.
Part 3 of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill will extend the Government’s ability to establish and mandate participation in smart data schemes via regulations.
Following conclusion of the consultation process and Royal Assent of the Bill, the Government will lay regulations using the smart data powers to set up the statutory open data scheme for road fuel prices.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Answer of 5 June 2023 to Question 186433 on Energy Bills Rebate, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding for supporting applicants who are hard-to-reach through mainstream channels.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) Alternative Funding provided over £61 million support to households who did not have a contract with a domestic electricity supplier and could not be reached by the main EBSS scheme. The final application figures for the schemes were published on GOV.UK on 19 October.
The EBSS Alternative Funding Continuous Cruisers scheme has extended energy bills support further, to itinerant boat dwellers registered with the Canal and River Trust as continuous cruisers during the period from 27 February to 31 May when the EBSS Alternative Funding schemes (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) were open.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of Northern Ireland's electricity supply capacity to help meet an increased demand for electric vehicles.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The matter is devolved to the administration in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate she has made of the number of telephone calls to the contact centre for help with the Energy Bill Support Alternative Funding Scheme in the six months to March 2023.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding launched on 27 February 2023 and closed to new applications on 31 May 2023. The contact centre helpline launched on 1 February 2023, when the pilot phase began, and closed on 31 August 2023. The contact centre helpline received a total of 127,175 calls between 1 February and 31 August.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many homes received energy efficiency measures through the Energy Company Obligation in the last 12 months.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Information on the number of homes that have received measures through the Energy Company Obligation in the last 12 months can be found in Table 1.2 of the latest Household Energy Efficiency Statistics release.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what her Department's planned timescale is for making a decision on whether to blend up to 20% hydrogen by volume into gas distribution networks.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In September, the Government published a consultation to help to build the necessary evidence base to determine whether hydrogen blending offers strategic and economic value and meets the required safety standards. The Government is aiming to reach a strategic policy decision in 2023 on whether to support blending of up to 20% hydrogen by volume into the Great Britain gas distribution networks.