Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to support people in rural areas who use heating oil as their primary heating method with the cost of living.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government understands that fuel prices are an important component of UK household and business expenditures and is sympathetic to the impact of domestic fuel costs on UK consumers.
The Government recently announced a £15 billion package to support households with the cost of living, in addition to the over £22 billion that had already been committed.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to amend the Weights and Measures Act to decrease the 500 litre minimum required for a delivery of heating oil.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
At present there are no plans to decrease the 500-litre minimum required for a delivery of heating oil.
For many years the industry standard for a minimum delivery of oil for efficiency reasons has been 500 litres, using mechanical meters calibrated and sealed by Trading Standards using tamper proof seals.
Whilst legislation allows the minimum delivery to be lower than 500 litres using electronic meters, any equipment must meet statutory requirements in terms of the accuracy of delivery, and type approval for the equipment must be obtained.
The vast majority of heating oil delivery vehicles are fitted with mechanical meters only.
The National Measurement and Regulation Office advise that smaller deliveries than the certified amount should not be made without the tankers meter being approved for smaller deliveries.
However due to the costs involved in making smaller deliveries and the reduction of productivity levels, the price per litre is likely to be proportionately much higher.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to introduce financial protection for consumers of heating oil equivalent to the existing energy price cap on gas and electricity.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government believes it is essential that consumers of domestic fuels get a fair deal. There is an open market for the supply of heating oil in the UK as we believe this provides the best long-term guarantee of competitive prices. A price cap is not necessary as consumers can shop around and switch supplier more easily than for gas and electricity.
Customers who are not on the gas grid will be protected by the energy price cap if they are on a default tariff with their electricity supplier.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
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 is taking to increase the number of (a) air and (b) ground source heat pumps to help decrease dependency on heating oil.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is providing targeted funding to support the installation of heat pumps in off-gas grid buildings. This includes the £1.1bn Home Upgrade Grant, which will improve the worst performing low-income, off gas grid homes through energy efficiency and low carbon heat measures, and the £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which will provide upfront grants to households and small businesses wishing to transition to low carbon heating, including buildings in off gas grid areas.
The Government has also consulted on proposals to end the installation of new fossil fuel heating in off-gas grid buildings, with a ‘heat pump first’ approach to replacement heating systems. We are currently reviewing responses to the consultation and will respond in due course.