Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 estimate of the number and proportion of households on traditional prepayment meters that have failed to redeem their Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers for October 2022 to January 2023 before the deadline on 14 January 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
As of 1 December, energy suppliers had issued 4,044,554 vouchers to customers with traditional prepayment meters, of which 2,659,344 had been redeemed. The latest data is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-bills-support-scheme-payments-made-by-electricity-suppliers-to-customers
Data to end December will be published shortly. Figures for January will be published next month.
Suppliers have an obligation and must evidence that they have attempted to make a minimum of three attempts by at least two different methods to contact customers who have not redeemed their voucher. Replacement vouchers can be issued but must be redeemed by the 30 June 2023.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the total value of remaining energy bill discount vouchers that were not redeemed by 14 January 2023 claimant deadline.
Answered by Graham Stuart
As of 1 December, energy suppliers had issued 4,044,554 vouchers to customers with traditional prepayment meters, of which 2,659,344 had been redeemed. The latest data is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-bills-support-scheme-payments-made-by-electricity-suppliers-to-customers
Data to end December will be published shortly. Figures for January will be published next month.
Suppliers have an obligation and must evidence that they have attempted to make a minimum of three attempts by at least two different methods to contact customers who have not redeemed their voucher. Replacement vouchers can be issued but must be redeemed by the 30 June 2023.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many meetings of the Energy Efficiency Taskforce have been held since its establishment; and what the full membership is of the taskforce.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Autumn Statement announced a new national ambition to reduce the UK’s final energy consumption from buildings and industry by 15% by 2030 against 2021 levels. To support the delivery of this target, a new Energy Efficiency Taskforce will be established. More details on the scope and membership of the Taskforce will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether her Department has taken recent steps with contractors to help reduce the level of embodied carbon in construction projects before contracting processes begin.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
We are working with the construction sector to reduce its emission contributions to help meet our net zero target, with a focus on construction processes including transport and the plant and machinery it uses, and in the built environment. We are working closely with the construction sector to reduce embodied carbon and are looking at a range of means for doing so.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what financial support will be made available to Early Years settings after the rise of the energy price cap in April 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is committed to carrying out a review of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme to inform decisions on future support after March 2023. Over the course of the review, the Government will be engaging widely to understand those who are most in need of further support. The Government cannot confirm which sectors will receive further support after 31st March 2023 until the review has concluded. The findings of the review will be published by the 31st December 2022.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of applications for electric vehicle charging points to connect to the electricity network awaiting approval.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Government does not estimate or hold this information. Electricity network companies are required to provide connection offers within timescales set and monitored by Ofgem.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 adequacy of the £100 Alternative Fuel Payment to support off-gas grid customers in winter 2022-2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has doubled support to £200 for alternatively fuelled households, in recognition of the pressures caused by rising fuel costs. The Government is committed to delivering this payment to households as soon as possible this Winter. The Government will announce further information on the delivery and timing of these payments in due course.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what energy bill support the Government plans to make available for (a) housing associations and (b) vulnerable and low-income residents beyond April 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has committed to carrying out a review of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme by the end of the year to inform decisions on future support after March 2023, with any future support for those deemed eligible commencing on 1st April 2023 without a gap. The findings of the review will be published by the end of the year.