Asked by: Martin Whitfield (Labour - East Lothian)
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 effect of the the suspension of oil from the North Sea as a result of the closure of The Forties pipeline on the supply of oil and fuel in the UK.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
There is no security of supply issue for oil and fuel supplies as a result of the repairs needed to the Forties pipeline. We have received reassurances from Petroineos Grangemouth refinery, which receives some crude oil direct from the pipeline, that they will be able to continue to provide fuel due to the availability of oil from other sources.
Asked by: Martin Whitfield (Labour - East Lothian)
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 increase the subsidy from the public purse for health and safety courses undertaken as part of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme card application process.
Answered by Margot James
The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) plays an important role in promoting relevant competency standards and health and safety awareness in construction. Government recognises the positive contribution that the Scheme makes, both to the construction industry and the clients it serves. However, the CSCS card is not a Government scheme, nor is the holding of a CSCS card a statutory requirement for employment in the construction industry. We therefore have no current plans to subsidise the Scheme.
Asked by: Martin Whitfield (Labour - East Lothian)
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 has taken to ensure that consumers can keep smart meters when they switch energy suppliers.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Consumers with first generation smart (SMETS1) meters are still able to switch supplier. If the new supplier is not able to operate the meter in 'smart' mode, the meter will continue to record energy consumption accurately and can be used in 'traditional' mode.
Second generation smart (SMETS2) meters will be fully compatible between energy providers, therefore allowing all consumers to retain smart services when they switch energy suppliers.
The Data and Communications Company is developing a solution to move SMETS1 meters onto the national communications infrastructure to enable consumers to retain their smart services upon switching. We expect this to commence in late 2018.