Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether households connected to communal and district heat networks will be eligible for the Non-Domestic Alternative Fuel Payment.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is determined that the benefits of all energy support schemes are received by the appropriate party. The Government will provide further details on the Non-Domestic Alternative Fuel Payment shortly.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason it is his policy that the national minimum wage for workers aged under 23 is lower than that for other workers.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
For younger workers, the priorities in those first years are to secure work and gain experience which has always been reflected in the National Minimum Wage rate structure. The Government is committed to increasing the National Minimum Wage as much as possible without damaging employment prospects for younger workers. This is why on 1 April 2023, Government will increase the National Minimum Wage rates for workers under 18 by 9.7% to £5.28, 18-20 year olds by 9.7% to £7.49 and 21-23 year olds by 10.9% to £10.18. The Government is also committed to reducing the age threshold for the National Living Wage to 21 and over by 2024.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
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 review the list of Energy and Trade Intensive Industries eligible for increased support under the Energy Bills Discount Scheme to include swimming pools and leisure centres.
Answered by Graham Stuart
There are currently no plans to review the list of Energy and Trade Intensive Industries eligible for support under the Energy Bill Discount Scheme. The Government has taken a consistent approach to identifying the most energy and trade intensive sectors, with all sectors that meet agreed thresholds for energy and trade intensity eligible for Energy and Trade Intensive Industries support. These thresholds have been set at sectors falling above the 80th percentile for energy intensity and 60th percentile for trade intensity, plus any sectors eligible for the existing energy compensation and exemption schemes.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
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 is taking steps to provide advice to heat networks customers on the level of support available through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Information and advice on the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS), including in relation to requirements for intermediaries to pass through support to end users, can be found online. (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/energy-bill-relief-scheme-help-for-businesses-and-other-non-domestic-customers)
For end consumers of heat networks, further advice can also be found online (https://www.ombudsman-services.org/sectors/heat-networks) on the EBRS from the Energy Ombudsman.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he expects to publish the UK Measurement Strategy.
Answered by George Freeman
I am pleased to say that the UK Measurement Strategy was published on 12th December. The strategy describes how the UK will capitalise on its world-leading National Measurement System from during the 2020s and beyond.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether houseboat residents will be eligible for the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Alternative Fuel Payment of £200 will provide support for those in properties using fuels such as heating oil, liquified petroleum gas, coal or biomass for heating. The Government will set out more details on the scheme soon.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons it is his Department's policy that heat network customers are receiving equivalent support under the Energy Bill Relief Scheme to those eligible for the Energy Price Guarantee.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Heat network consumers need protection from the soaring energy prices this winter period, as the cost of energy for many heat network operators has increased. Regulations covering the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) and associated pass-through requirements ensure that heat network operators and other intermediaries pass on any EBRS benefits to the end user in a just and reasonable way.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
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 plans to take steps to support businesses that want to implement a 32-hour four-day working week.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to work arrangements. The Government supports flexible working in all its forms, where it has benefits for, and is agreed between, both individuals and employers.
The existing legal framework provides a statutory right to request flexible working, where employees can request a change to their hours, pattern or place of work. Between September and December 2021, the Government consulted on changes to this framework to better support the uptake of flexible working arrangements. We will respond in due course.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Fund and the Alternative Fuel Payments Fund will distribute payments to households ineligible for the Energy Bills Support Scheme, and when these payments will begin.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Alternative Funding will provide equivalent support of £400 for energy bills for the small minority of households who will not be reached through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. Full details on eligibility, timescales and method of delivery will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Alternative Fuel Payment will provide £100 to support households who do not use mains gas for heating. It is designed to compensate for the rise in the price of heating oil from October 2022 in a way which is equivalent to the Energy Price Guarantee. Further details for both schemes will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to regulation 6 of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme Pass-through Requirement (Heat Suppliers) (England and Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2022, how an end user may challenge an intermediary if they believe that the pass-through amount being provided is not just and reasonable.
Answered by Graham Stuart
If an end user (a heat network consumer) cannot reach direct resolution with the intermediary (the heat supplier), they can raise a complaint with the Energy Ombudsman. The Regulations also allow heat network consumers to pursue recovery of the benefits of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme as a debt through civil proceedings. More information can be found in guidance accompanying the Regulations: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pass-through-requirements-for-energy-price-support-provided-to-intermediaries/guidance-on-the-energy-bill-relief-scheme-pass-through-requirements-for-heat-networks.