Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
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 estimate of the number of households that have (a) had pre-payment meters removed and (b) received compensation due to the involuntary installation of pre-payment meters since February 2023.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government does not hold this data. The Government has always been clear on the importance of protecting energy consumers, particularly the most vulnerable. Ofgem has been clear that suppliers will not be able to resume involuntary installations of prepayment meters (PPM) until they have amongst other things showed readiness to comply with Ofgem’s new rules regarding involuntary PPM installations and demonstrated progress through an independent audit to identify wrongly installed meters and provide redress where appropriate.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
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 estimate of the number of households that have been involuntarily fitted with pre-payment meters since October 2022.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government does not hold this data. The Government has always been clear on the importance of protecting energy consumers, particularly the most vulnerable. Ofgem has been clear that suppliers will not be able to resume involuntary installations of prepayment meters (PPM) until they have amongst other things showed readiness to comply with Ofgem’s new rules regarding involuntary PPM installations and demonstrated progress through an independent audit to identify wrongly installed meters and provide redress where appropriate.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much funding has been allocated to clean energy research, development and demonstration projects from the Ayrton Fund as of 8 November 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The UK Government has committed up to £1 billion for the Ayrton Fund to support the research, development, and demonstration of clean energy innovations for developing countries, between April 2021 and March 2026, delivered via a portfolio managed by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Departments for Energy Security and Net Zero and for Science, Innovation and Technology.
As of 8 November 2023, Ayrton funding of £595 million has been approved and allocated to 29 programmes. The Departments are working on the design of further new and scaled-up programmes, including some expected to be announced at COP28 in December.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to her Department's published guidance on the Ayrton Fund, how much funding was allocated to each of the 23 RD&D projects that that fund supported in its first two years.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In its first two years (April 2021 to March 2023) the UK Government spent £146 million through the 23 Ayrton Fund programmes, listed on the Gov.uk website, delivering international clean energy research, development, and demonstration.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Powering Up Britain: Energy Security Plan, published in March 2023, when she plans to consult on options for a new approach to consumer protection.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
As set out in Powering Up Britain: Energy Security Plan, we are exploring the best approach to consumer protection, as part of wider retail market reforms. The government continues to monitor the situation and will keep options under review, including with respect to the most vulnerable households.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number of Energy Bill Support Scheme prepayment meter vouchers claimed in (a) March 2023 and (b) January 2023.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) collects information about the payments made under the Energy Bills Support Scheme GB (EBSS GB) in England, Wales and Scotland. Transparency data on Energy Bills Support Scheme GB payments made by electricity suppliers to customers is reported monthly and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-bills-support-scheme-payments-made-by-electricity-suppliers-to-customers.
In January 2023, 1,953,160 prepayment vouchers were delivered across England, Scotland and Wales. Reporting for the four months of the scheme up to 31 January 2023 shows that 7,916,490 vouchers were issued to customers using prepayment meters, of which 5,992,390 (76%) had been redeemed. Data for March 2023 will be published via the link above in April.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the value of unclaimed Energy Bill Support Scheme prepayment meter vouchers in Manchester Withington constituency.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Reporting to the three months to December 31st 2022 shows an estimated 8,170 Energy Bills Support Scheme traditional prepayment meter vouchers were issued to households in Manchester Withington, with 5,930 (73%) of these redeemed. October and November vouchers were valued at £66 and the December voucher at £67 meaning the 2,240 unredeemed vouchers have a value of approximately £150,000. Transparency data on Energy Bills Support Scheme GB payments made by electricity suppliers to customers is reported monthly and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-bills-support-scheme-payments-made-by-electricity-suppliers-to-customers.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to improve the uptake of Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department has been engaging with stakeholders and suppliers to increase the uptake of traditional prepayment vouchers in GB and continues to work with the sector, as well as consumer groups, charities and local leaders to reach eligible customers with unused vouchers that have not yet benefitted from this support.
This includes ongoing government information campaigns to raise awareness via roaming advert vans, community radio, social media and national magazine titles.
The latest figures published in March indicate that in the first five months of the scheme 78% of issued vouchers were redeemed.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with energy companies on the uptake of Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In December, the Secretary of State wrote to all relevant electricity suppliers and Ministers have chaired two roundtables with CEOs of suppliers providing traditional prepayment meters on 7 December and 25 January. I intend to host a further roundtable with these suppliers. The Department continues to work with stakeholders to ensure every effort is made to reach all eligible households.
The latest figures published in March indicate that in the first five months of the scheme, 78% of issued vouchers were redeemed.