Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of increases in the energy price cap on living standards.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government understands the pressures that households are facing with the cost of living and in particular, the impact rising energy prices is having on consumers.
The Government recently announced a £15 billion package to support households with the cost of living, in addition to the over £22 billion previously committed, to help domestic energy customers with the cost of living and rising energy bills.
This support includes helping all domestic electricity customers in Great Britain cope with the impact of higher energy bills, with £400 off their bills from October through the expansion of the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the British glass industry.
Answered by Greg Hands
BEIS ministers and officials regularly meet with glass manufacturers, British Glass and through the Energy Intensive Users Group to discuss a number of issues relevant to the glass sector.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 had discussions with the Welsh Government on the impact of rising fuel costs on the road hauliers industry in that country.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Road Haulage sector is a matter for the Department of Transport.
At the Spring Statement 2022, the Government announced a temporary 12-month cut to duty on petrol and diesel of 5 pence per litre as part of ongoing Government efforts to address the rising cost of living.
The Government estimates that this cut represents a saving worth around £1,500 for the average road haulier over the next six months.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to support small businesses in Newport West constituency.
Answered by Jane Hunt
Although business support is largely a devolved matter, the Government also provides a range of support that all businesses across the UK can access. This includes information on starting up and running a business on GOV.UK, and our new Help to Grow Schemes which will help small businesses across the UK learn new skills, reach new customers, and boost profits.
The Government backed British Business Bank helps make finance markets work better for small businesses, and 160 businesses in Newport West have benefitted from over £1.6 million in Start Up Loans since the programme was launched in 2012. At Spending Review 2021 we announced an additional £1.6 billion of funding for the next generation of UK Funds, including £130 million for a new fund in Wales that will provide debt and equity finance for innovative Welsh businesses.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps he has taken to prevent a reduction in the number of small businesses in the UK.
Answered by Jane Hunt
The Government provides a range of support that all businesses can access. These include information on starting up and running a business on GOV.UK, one to one advice via our free Business Support Helpline and through 38 Growth Hubs across England, government backed Start-Up Loans, and our Help to Grow schemes.
Small businesses will also benefit from the £15 billion of targeted government support to help with the rising cost of living. This brings the total cost of living support measures announced to £37 billion this year. Government has cut fuel duty for 12 months, raised the Employment Allowance to £5,000, and is zero-rating VAT on energy-saving materials. This builds on existing support, including business rates relief worth £7 billion over five years.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 oral statement of 26 May 2022 on Economy Update, Official report, column 449, what steps he is taking to ensure that people on shared electricity tariffs receive financial support.
Answered by Greg Hands
Households supplied with electricity via a contract entered into by their landlord are protected by the Maximum Resale Price provisions put in place by Ofgem. This prevents landlords reselling energy at a higher price than they paid the energy supplier.
Further to my rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer’s announcement on 26 May, the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has announced the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS), a £37billion cost of living assistance package and will deliver a £400 non-repayable grant to households over winter 22/23. The Government continues to work with consumer groups and suppliers on delivery and is exploring ways in which households, who do not have direct contract for electricity might receive similar support
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of energy costs for people in Newport West constituency.
Answered by Greg Hands
Quarterly statistics on energy prices by region may be found online at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/quarterly-energy-prices . The Government do not have data at the constituency level.
The Government recognises the impact rising energy prices is having on consumers and has put in place a package of support worth £9.1 billion to help domestic energy customers with the cost of rising energy bills.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 impact of rising global gas prices on achieving the Government's net zero targets; and what steps he plans to take to mitigate that impact.
Answered by Greg Hands
The UK's exposure to volatile gas prices reinforces the importance of the government’s plans for a strong renewable energy sector to strengthen the UK’s future energy security and resilience.
The Government will shortly set out an energy supply strategy which will drive forward renewable energy and nuclear capacity to bolster domestic supply and help drive down energy costs.