Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 his Department’s press release entitled £400 energy bills discount to support households this winter, published on 29 July 2022, what his timescale is for setting out details of the equivalent support that will be available for people who are not eligible for the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is working urgently with a range of organisations, such as local authorities, as well as Devolved Administrations and across UK Government, to finalise the details and have the process up and running for applications this winter.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the £400 energy bill discount will be payable to people who live in a Managed Independent Living retirement complex where each apartment has its own electricity meter, where each tenant pays their share of the electricity bill for the building and where gas is charged according to the square footage of each apartment, with electricity and gas quarterly bills paid to the Trust which manages that complex.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Only those with their own contract with a supplier are eligible for the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme payments over this winter. On 29 July, the Government announced additional funding for households not eligible for the Energy Bills Support Scheme and the details of this support will be announced in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 help ensure that the UK meets its net zero targets during the period of its membership of the Energy Charter Treaty.
Answered by Graham Stuart
On 24 June 2022, Contracting Parties came to an agreement in principle on the amendments to modernise the Energy Charter Treaty. The modernised Energy Charter Treaty recognises the urgent need to address climate change and align with the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement. It promotes an accelerated energy transition and reduces the risk of successful challenge to UK net zero policies.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 plans to take to support small and medium sized businesses with rising energy costs.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The recently announced Energy Bill Relief Scheme (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-outlines-plans-to-help-cut-energy-bills-for-businesses) ensures that all businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period. A review of the scheme, to be published in three months, will identify the most vulnerable non-domestic customers and how the government will continue assisting them with energy costs after the initial six months.
Government is also providing a 50% business rates relief for businesses across the UK and reducing employer national insurance. This is in addition to the billions in grants and loans offered throughout the pandemic.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress his Department has made on ensuring that people who do not have a personal account with an energy provider, including those (a) living in park homes and (b) who live in managed independent living retirement accommodation, receive support with energy costs on the same basis as other households.
Answered by Greg Hands
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for St Albans on 20th June 2022 to Question 18990.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress his Department has made on its response to its consultation, Measures to reform post-termination non-compete clauses in contracts of employment.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government is in the process of analysing responses to the consultation and the available data. A response to the consultation will be published on the GOV.UK website in due course.