Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
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 this Department's policies of the recommendation of the SAP Industry Forum’s April 2020 SAP 11 Technologies Report that biopropane should be modelled as fuel choice for heat in both new and existing buildings.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The Department has commenced work on the development of the next version of the Standard Assessment Procedure, SAP 11. It will consider the SAP Industry Forum’s Report on the likely mainstream technologies for consideration in the mid-2020s as part of this. The Department has also commissioned a wider scoping project to advise more broadly on what SAP 11 will need to model and how it should do this. This project will further help to inform the development of SAP11 and is due to report back in February.
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
What plans his Department has to transform post offices into community hubs.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Post Offices are very much at the heart of their communities, often operating alongside other key community services such as libraries or pubs. Postmasters and the Post Office will continue to work with their communities to meet their needs.
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
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 reduce barriers to the adoption of (a) biopropane and (b) other new low carbon fuels for use in heating in off-gas grid buildings.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government recognises?that biofuels, such as bioLPG and bioliquid alternatives to heating oil, may play a role in future off-gas grid decarbonisation. In 2018 BEIS ran an extensive programme of engagement with industry and consumers, to seek views on how industry, government and consumers could work together to phase out the installation of high carbon fossil fuels from homes and businesses off the gas grid. We will be consulting on proposals for this in due course.
The Clean Heat Grant Scheme, which will run from April 2022 to March 2024, aims to provide targeted support for proven and ready to deploy low-carbon heating technologies that demonstrate value for money and carbon cost-effectiveness. This will follow the existing Renewable Heat Incentive scheme. We are also expecting to publish the Clean Heat Grant consultation response and a Heat and Buildings Strategy, which will further expand on the Government’s strategic direction, in due course.
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
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 support the Post Office during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government views the services provided by the Post Office as essential and that is why, on 23 March, the Government designated 'key worker' status to Postmasters and their staff, allowing their children to remain in school. This has meant that subject to social distancing guidelines, Post Office has sought to keep as many branches opens as possible during the Covid-19 outbreak. To support postmasters through this period, Post Office has provided income top ups to many thousands of branches in April, May and June.
This support backs Postmasters for their dedication and hard work in keeping their Post Office open and ensures that some of the country's most vulnerable people can continue to benefit from the essential services the Post Office provides.
BEIS continues to work with Post Office to ensure as many branches can remain open as possible and particularly that communities’ access to essential services is protected during this challenging time.
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
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 has taken to help support people claim back their deposits from tour operators if in the event that overseas travel plans are affected by the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Paul Scully
Package travel agencies are required to comply with The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, which protect consumers who have bought package holidays. Consumers are entitled to a refund?if forced to cancel a package holiday due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, which should be issued?within 14 days, depending on the nature of the contract in place. Further information on the rights and responsibilities of consumers and businesses was published on 30 April by the Competition and Markets Authority. If the CMA finds evidence that companies are failing to comply with the law, the CMA will take appropriate enforcement action, which could include taking a firm to court if it does not address its concerns.