Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
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 plans to strengthen the UK's energy security through an increase in domestic gas production.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has been in commercial negotiations with both EDF and the Sizewell C project company since January 2021. These negotiations are ongoing and commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had recent discussions with energy suppliers on supporting businesses effected by rising energy costs.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Ministers and Officials in the Department regularly engage with energy suppliers to discuss the impact of rising energy costs on businesses of all sizes.
The Government announced a new six-month scheme – the Energy Price Guarantee for Businesses (EPGB) – to protect all businesses and other non-domestic energy users from soaring energy costs. The scheme will offer comparable support to that being provided for consumers and more details will follow shortly. After this initial six-month scheme, the Government will provide focused support for vulnerable sectors, targeted to make sure those most in need get support.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of rising energy prices on steel manufacturers.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Through close engagement with the steel industry, the Government is acutely aware of the continued pressure on steel companies because of high energy and raw material costs.
The Government remains determined to secure a competitive future for energy intensive industries (EIIs) such as steel, providing them with extensive support, including over £2 billion to help with the costs of energy and to protect jobs.
The recently-announced Energy Bill Relief Scheme ensures that all businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period. A review of the scheme, to be published in three months, will identify the most vulnerable non-domestic customers and how the government will continue assisting them with energy costs after the initial six months.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of rising energy prices on the hospitality sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is monitoring the impact of energy prices on businesses and recognises the scale will vary depending on business type and type of contract or tariff.
The Government announced a new six-month scheme – the Energy Bill Relief Scheme - to ensure that all businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period. After this initial six-month period, the Government will provide focused support for vulnerable sectors, targeted to make sure those most in need get support.
The Government is also providing support via with business rates relief, freezing alcohol duty rates on beer, cider, wine and spirits, increasing the employment allowance.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with Royal Mail on the issue of counterfeit stamps; and whether the Government is taking steps to tackle the potential risk to customers.
Answered by Dean Russell
The operation of Royal Mail’s products and services, including measures to tackle counterfeit stamps, is a matter for the company’s management and the Government is not involved in Royal Mail’s operational decisions.
Royal Mail has published advice for consumers on identifying and reporting stamp fraud on its website: www.royalmail.com/report-stamp-fraud.
Royal Mail also introduced barcoded stamps earlier this year as part of its modernisation drive. Newly issued stamps will have an associated unique barcode which will help facilitate operational efficiencies whilst also enabling added security features to help tackle stamp fraud. More information on barcoded stamps is available on Royal Mail’s website: www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
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 facilitate the use of hydrochar to generate low-carbon electricity.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The forthcoming Biomass Strategy, due to be published later this year, will further detail the Government’s position on future biomass use and policies needed to support biomass across the economy. It is the Government’s intention to ensure that biomass is only used where it complies with its net zero and wider environmental goals.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
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 support the roll-out across the UK of new technology that converts sewage into hydrochar; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential applications of hydrochar in decarbonising the UK economy.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The forthcoming Biomass Strategy, due to be published later this year, will further detail the Government’s position on future biomass use and policies needed to support biomass across the economy. It is the Government’s intention to ensure that biomass is only used where it complies with its net zero and wider environmental goals.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has plans to increase the export tariff for renewable energy under the SEG scheme at the same rate as the rise in the energy price cap; and what assessment he has made of the effect on small-scale renewable electricity generation in the event that the export tariff is not increased in that way.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a market led mechanism, to help level the playing field for small-scale low-carbon generation. It provides a route to market for any excess energy exported to the grid following closure of the Feed-in Tariffs scheme.
To enable the SEG to be market based and encourage innovation, one of the key features is to allow suppliers to set both the tariff levels and structure. The Department believes the market has responded positively within the SEG’s first reporting period but will continue to monitor for signs of price competitiveness and innovation.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending eligibility for statutory adoption pay to the self-employed.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises that it is crucial to the success of an adoption placement that an adopter takes time off work to care for and bond with their child. So far, the Government has focused on supporting employed parents as they do not generally have the same level of flexibility and autonomy over how and when they work as self-employed parents do.
However, we recognise that affordability may limit the time away from work that some self-employed adopters can take, and therefore statutory adoption guidance says that Local Authorities should consider making a payment - equivalent to Maternity Allowance - in cases where adopters do not qualify for any statutory payment because of their self-employment.