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Written Question
Students: Cost of Living
Thursday 2nd February 2023

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

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 adequacy of support available to PhD students in the context of the increases in the cost of living.

Answered by George Freeman

We have listened to the feedback from PhD students, which is why on 2 September 2022, UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) announced an increase to the minimum stipend paid to UKRI-funded doctoral students who commenced or are continuing their UKRI-funded studentship from 1 October 2022 to £17,668 full time equivalent. This is a 10% increase on the previously announced level for the 2022/23 academic year.

The increase forms part of the ongoing work to develop a New Deal for Postgraduate Research, as committed to in the R&D People and Culture Strategy. UKRI has committed to reviewing how the minimum stipend is set, and will communicate the level for the 2023/24 academic year in due course.


Written Question
Fuel Poverty: Birmingham
Tuesday 17th January 2023

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of care recipients who are in fuel poverty in Birmingham.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The overall fuel poverty statistics for England include a breakdown by household tenure which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics. It is not possible to identify if households are living in care accommodation.

BEIS also publishes annual headline estimates on the number and percentage of households in fuel poverty for England at sub-regional level, and at subnational level including by Region, by Local Authority and by Parliamentary Constituency, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-sub-regional-statistics.


Written Question
Energy Bills Support Scheme
Tuesday 10th January 2023

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many and what proportion of people using heat network schemes received a payment through the Energy Bills Support Scheme as of 20 December 2022.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government does not currently have this information. Heat network consumers who have a domestic electricity meter are receiving £400 off their energy bills through the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS). The EBSS Alternative Funding will provide a £400 payment to eligible households who do not have a domestic electricity meter, including heat network consumers on a private wire.


Written Question
Energy Charter Treaty
Wednesday 30th November 2022

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the UK will exit the Energy Charter Treaty.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK has been a strong advocate for ECT modernisation. At the Energy Charter Conference on 22 November, the decision to adopt the modernised Treaty was postponed. In light of this, the UK is monitoring developments, including the positions of other Contracting Parties.


Written Question
Multinational Companies: Disclosure of Information
Tuesday 25th October 2022

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is taking steps to incentivise multinational companies to take into account climate-related risks when preparing financial reports.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Since April 2022, the largest UK-registered companies are required by law to disclose their material financial risks and opportunities associated with climate change in their annual reports, the potential effect of those risks and opportunities and how they are managed. This obligation applies to the global operations of UK companies, including overseas subsidiaries. The Financial Conduct Authority requires climate-related financial disclosures from all UK listed companies on a comply or explain basis. These measures are part of the package that fulfils the government’s commitment to be the first G20 country to mandate climate-related financial disclosures across significant parts of our economy.


Written Question
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Development Aid
Tuesday 6th September 2022

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

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 implications for his policies of the results and recommendations set out in the 2022 Aid Transparency Index; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Jane Hunt

The Aid Transparency Index assessment takes place every two years. This is the first time that BEIS has been included and I am pleased the Department’s performance has been ranked as ‘Good’. BEIS remains committed to the transparency of its ODA spending and is examining how to improve its rating in future assessments. The International Development Strategy, published in May, recognised the importance of transparency and the Government has committed to the strengthening of transparency and accountability of UK ODA in its updated National Action Plan under the Open Government Partnership, updated in August.


Written Question
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Public Expenditure
Wednesday 6th July 2022

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, further to the statement on Twitter by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 30 June 2022 that his Department had contributed to military aid for Ukraine by surrendering climate finance and foreign aid underspends, what the value of those underspends is; and which (a) areas by budget heading and (b) financial years those underspends are from.

Answered by George Freeman

Around £100m from the BEIS International Climate Finance budget in 2022-23 has been identified to be handed back to HM Treasury.


Written Question
Energy Entrepreneurs Fund
Monday 13th June 2022

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what (a) amount and (b) proportion of funding allocated under Round 8A of the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund went to (i) men and (ii) women.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

A total of 232 applications were received for Round 8A of the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund: 187 applications were submitted by males, 35 applications were submitted by females, and 10 applications were not declared as either male or female.

The number of grants won by female applicants is 10, and the number of grants won by male applicants is 48. Total grant won by female applicants is £5,047,972.43; with an average grant of £504,797. Total grant won by male applicants is £24,896,036.38; with an average £518,667.


Written Question
Energy Entrepreneurs Fund
Monday 13th June 2022

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of applicants for funding under Round 8A of the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund were successful, by gender.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

A total of 232 applications were received for Round 8A of the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund: 187 applications were submitted by males, 35 applications were submitted by females, and 10 applications were not declared as either male or female.

The number of grants won by female applicants is 10, and the number of grants won by male applicants is 48. Total grant won by female applicants is £5,047,972.43; with an average grant of £504,797. Total grant won by male applicants is £24,896,036.38; with an average £518,667.


Written Question
Energy Entrepreneurs Fund
Monday 13th June 2022

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many applications were made to Round 8A of the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund, by gender of the applicants.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

A total of 232 applications were received for Round 8A of the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund: 187 applications were submitted by males, 35 applications were submitted by females, and 10 applications were not declared as either male or female.

The number of grants won by female applicants is 10, and the number of grants won by male applicants is 48. Total grant won by female applicants is £5,047,972.43; with an average grant of £504,797. Total grant won by male applicants is £24,896,036.38; with an average £518,667.