Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent steps her Department has taken to help increase the take-up of smart meters.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government is committed to enabling as many households and small businesses to benefit from smart meters as soon as possible. This is why we’ve set energy suppliers ambitious, but realistic minimum installation targets to deliver the rollout.
Energy suppliers are responsible for engaging their customers and encouraging them to upgrade to smart metering. Smart Energy GB, an independent not for profit organisation is responsible for national consumer engagement on the rollout in Great Britain.
Ofgem is responsible for regulating both energy suppliers and Smart Energy GB against their statutory obligations.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what her Department's expected timeline is to publish its response to the Improving boiler standards and efficiency consultation, published on 13 December 2022.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The consultation on Improving Boiler Standards and Efficiency launched on 13 December 2022 and closed on 22 March 2023. We have been analysing responses and plan to publish a government response in due course.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to case study six of research commissioned by her Department entitled Defining and identifying complex-to-decarbonise homes and retrofit solutions Annex C case studies, published on 3 January 2024, what steps her Department plans to take to help consumers with Victorian 'Eco Home' whole house retrofit work.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government published the research report ‘Defining and identifying complex-to-decarbonise homes’ alongside the cross-Government review ‘Adapting historic homes for energy efficiency: a review of the barriers’ in January 2024. The review looks at the practical barriers to energy efficiency and low carbon heating measures in historic homes, and sets out the actions the Government is taking to overcome these barriers.
The Government is investing £6.6 billion over this Parliament on clean heat and improving energy efficiency in buildings, reducing our reliance on fossil fuel heating. In addition, £6 billion of new Government funding will be made available from 2025 to 2028.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero during Consideration of Lords message on the Energy Bill [Lords] on 18 October 2023, Official Report, column 352, what his planned timetable is for the consultation on barriers to developing community energy projects.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is working with the Community Energy Contact Group on the content of the annual report and consultation. Until these discussions have concluded, the Government is unable to outline a definitive timeline.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when her Department plans to respond to its consultation on minimum energy efficiency standards for the non-domestic private rented sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has reviewed the responses to its consultations on minimum energy efficiency standards in the non-domestic private rented sector. The policy design is being reviewed to ensure it remains fair and proportionate for landlords and tenants and to help realise the benefits to businesses of reduced energy bills, more comfortable and healthier workplaces and greater energy security.
The Government is engaging with commercial building owners and representative groups to understand the different pathways to support decarbonisation and give certainty to the energy efficiency supply chain. The response will be published in due course.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether non-domestic privately rented properties will be required to have an EPC rating of C by April 2027.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government consulted on strengthening the existing regulations to require non-domestic private rented buildings to reach the highest EPC that a cost-effective package of measures can deliver up to EPC C by April 2027 and EPC B by April 2030.
The policy design and timelines are being reviewed to ensure they remain fair and proportionate for landlords and tenants and to help realise the benefits of energy efficiency. The Government is engaging with stakeholders on the different pathways to support decarbonisation and to give certainty to the supply chain. A response will be published in due course.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if her Department will publish guidance to inform businesses about the measures that can be taken to ensure they comply with the forthcoming minimum energy efficiency standards; and whether her Department plans to make support available to help them achieve those requirements.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has guidance on gov.uk advising landlords on the measures and steps to comply with current non-domestic minimum energy efficiency standards. The Government recently launched a campaign to inform businesses of available support and to help reduce their energy consumption and in the West Midlands have launched an audit and grant pilot for small businesses.
For future regulation options the policy design is being reviewed to ensure it remains fair and proportionate for landlords and tenants and to help realise the benefits of energy efficiency. The Government is considering what support and guidance may be required.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether it remains her Department's policy to provide £3.8 billion to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Conservative Manifesto committed to a £3.8 billion Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) over a ten-year period to 2030.
The total committed funding for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and associated Demonstrator is over £1 billion to date. On 2nd October 2023, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that the SHDF Wave 2.2 ‘top up’ competition will allocate up to £80 million of additional grant funding from April 2024.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when her Department plans to bring forward its consultation on minimum energy efficiency standards in the social housing sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
As part of the 2021 Heat and Buildings Strategy, the Government committed to consider setting a new regulatory standard of EPC Band C for the social rented sector.
The Government has now made a further commitment to consult on energy efficiency in the social rented sector within 6 months of the Social Housing Regulation Act receiving Royal Assent on 20th July 2023.
Officials are working on proposals for the consultation, which will ensure that social housing providers and social housing tenants have an opportunity to give their views before any regulatory standard is set.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support the offshore wind sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
We are supporting our world leading offshore wind sector through our Contract for Difference scheme and have increased the frequency of auctions.
Allocation Round 5 is currently underway and will bring forward new projects.