Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
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 maximise uptake of the Warm Home Scheme among pensioners eligible for Pension Credit but not yet claiming that benefit.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
Under the Warm Home Discount, obligated energy suppliers can spend a maximum of £40 million on Industry Initiatives. This includes a range of activities that offer support to customers who are at greater risk of fuel poverty, particularly those not on benefits who may not be eligible for a £140 rebate. Support provided under Industry Initiatives includes benefit entitlement checks and referrals for rebates, as well as energy saving advice, energy debt assistance and fuel vouchers.
The Government’s Warm Home Discount website is widely signposted and used by consumer groups, charities and energy comparison websites to raise awareness of the benefits of signing up for Pension Credit Guarantee Credit and maximise uptake of the Warm Home Scheme.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's oral contribution of 8 July 2020, Official Report column 976, what estimate he has made of the number of people on low incomes that will benefit from the green homes grant scheme to fund energy efficiency measures of up to £10,000 per household.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
We estimate that more than 600,000 homes overall will receive measures through the scheme. The scheme is demand led and is expected to support a significant number of low income households.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
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 the summer economic update, if he will provide a breakdown of the allocation of £50 million into the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and its demonstrator project.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The manifesto committed to improving people’s homes, to accelerate our progress towards net zero emissions by 2050 and to help families reduce their energy bills. This commitment included the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund with £3.8bn over a ten-year period and the £50m demonstrator fund is a down payment on the £3.8bn.
The Summer Economic Update announced £50m to demonstrate innovative approaches to retrofitting social housing at scale, accelerating the delivery of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund envisaged by the manifesto. This will mean warmer and more energy efficient homes and could reduce annual energy bills by hundreds of pounds for some of the poorest households in society, as well as lowering carbon emissions. The programme will be UK-wide and funding will be allocated competitively.
The Government remains committed to decarbonising buildings to keep us on track to reach net zero emissions by 2050. This demonstrator project is a short-term investment to learn lessons and innovate for the main scheme, allocations for which will be determined at the forthcoming Spending Review in the Autumn.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plan he has to hold discussions with (a) employers and (b) employees on their (i) concerns and (ii) ideas on (A) recovery and (B) support for businesses as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Paul Scully
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has heard the views of individuals from large businesses, entrepreneurial companies, venture capitalists, trade bodies, academia and the third sector in a series of recent meetings. These were organised around five themes: green recovery; increasing opportunity; backing new businesses; the future of industry; and the UK open for business. This is part of an intensive programme of engagement to inform the Government’s approach to economic recovery. The department will continue to engage with stakeholders across all sectors as it works towards a clean, resilient recovery, shaping recovery and business support policy to reflect the needs of employers and employees.
Asked by: Neil Gray (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
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 made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a furlough appeals process for employees to challenge the decision of their employer.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is designed to help employers whose operations have been severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) to retain their employees and protect the UK economy. The scheme is not an employment right and it is up to the employer to decide who to furlough.
However, employers should discuss furlough with their staff and make any changes to their employment contract by agreement. When employers make decisions in relation to the process – including deciding who to offer furlough to – equality and discrimination laws will apply in the usual way.
Where employees believe employment law has been broken, they should first contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas). Acas provides free and impartial information and advice to individuals on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law. If the issue cannot be resolved through Acas’ conciliation services, employees can make a claim to an employment tribunal.