Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
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 it his policy to classify small businesses as preferential creditors in cases of (a) insolvency and (b) bankruptcy; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
Certain debts, mostly relating to employees’ remuneration or pension scheme entitlements, are paid before other categories of creditor when a company enters liquidation or administration or an individual becomes bankrupt.
Giving small businesses a similar preferential status would reduce the level of returns for other groups of creditors affected by an insolvency, potentially including a reduction in the returns received by existing preferential creditors such as employees. The Government therefore does not intend to change the status of debts owed to small businesses in insolvencies.
In the recently-published Insolvency and Corporate Governance consultation, Government has proposed removing or increasing the current £600,000 cap on the proportion of funds realised from assets subject to floating charge security in a liquidation, administration or administrative receivership that can be ring-fenced and paid to unsecured creditors (known as the “prescribed part”). Doing so would increase returns to unsecured creditors, including small businesses, without changing their status.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
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 take steps to encourage the payment of invoices by large firms to small businesses within 30 days; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The government is clear that large companies should lead by example in paying their suppliers promptly and fairly, and believes that 60 days is the maximum acceptable payment terms in the vast majority of cases. The Prompt Payment Code sets best practice in payment standards and commits signatories to undertake to pay suppliers within a maximum of 60 days, in all but exceptional circumstances, and to work towards adopting 30 days as the norm.
Government is supporting businesses, particularly small businesses, throughout the supply chain - the Public Contracts Regulations ensure public sector buyers require 30-day payment terms be passed down the supply chain. At Spring Statement, the Chancellor announced that BEIS will launch a call for evidence to assess what further steps and intervention may be needed to ensure small businesses are not subject to unfair payment practices.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to improve energy efficiency for pensioners living in park homes.
Answered by Claire Perry
Park homes are eligible for energy efficiency improvements under the Energy Company Obligation, which is worth £640m per year. Within this envelope, support was re-balanced from April 2017 towards the Affordable Warmth element, with an increased focus on tackling fuel poverty and supporting those on low incomes and vulnerable to cold.
Government has also taken action to ensure that financial support is available to park home residents through the Warm Home Discount Scheme. The scheme, now in its third year enables park home residents who pay for their electricity through their park or as part of their pitch fees to apply for a £140 rebate on their energy bill.
In addition, all pensioner households, including those living in park homes, receive £100-£300 through the Winter Fuel Payment and Government is also bringing an end to high energy prices by putting in place a price cap on standard variable and default tariffs.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
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 is available for pensioners living in park homes to assist with the costs of implementing energy efficiency measures.
Answered by Claire Perry
Park homes are eligible for energy efficiency improvements under the Energy Company Obligation, which is worth £640m per year. Within this envelope, support was re-balanced from April 2017 towards the Affordable Warmth element, with an increased focus on tackling fuel poverty and supporting those on low incomes and vulnerable to cold.
Government has also taken action to ensure that financial support is available to park home residents through the Warm Home Discount Scheme. The scheme, now in its third year enables park home residents who pay for their electricity through their park or as part of their pitch fees to apply for a £140 rebate on their energy bill.
In addition, all pensioner households, including those living in park homes, receive £100-£300 through the Winter Fuel Payment and Government is also bringing an end to high energy prices by putting in place a price cap on standard variable and default tariffs.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to increase the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
In 2016, renewables share of total generation was nearly 25% of UK electricity generation, and we are on track to meet our ambition of delivering 30% of the UK’s electricity from renewables in 2020-21. Recent steps to continue this progress include the latest Contracts for Difference round in which we secured a further 3.3GW of renewable electricity, enough to power 3.6 million homes.
Just last week I was pleased to announce that up to £557 million will be made available for less established renewable electricity projects as part of the government’s Clean Growth Strategy, to drive economic growth and clean up the energy system. The next Contracts for Difference auction is planned for spring 2019.