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Written Question
Wines: Industry
Wednesday 11th January 2023

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he will bring forward legislative proposals to allow English Sparkling Wine to be sold in pint and half litre bottles.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The quantities in which pre-packed alcohol, including English sparkling wine, can be sold will be considered as part of the Government’s review of EU-derived law. Further details will be provided in due course.


Written Question
Rented Housing: Energy
Tuesday 29th November 2022

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish how households who are not eligible for the Energy Bills Support Scheme because they pay for their energy as part of their rent or service charge or are on alternative fuel arrangements will receive the equivalent support.

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

Customers who have a direct domestic electricity supply with a licensed electricity supplier are eligible for the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS). The Government has legislated to ensure landlords pass through support provided by EBSS to households paying for energy through a rent or service charge.

Under Ofgem’s Maximum Resale Price rules, landlords with a domestic contract with an energy supplier are required not to charge tenants more than they have paid suppliers for the energy.

EBSS Alternative Funding will provide equivalent support for households who will not be reached through EBSS. Eligibility, timescales and delivery method will be announced shortly.


Written Question
Energy Supply
Friday 18th November 2022

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

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 have discussions with the Leader of the House on bringing the Energy Security Bill to the House of Commons.

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

The Government remains committed to the important measures in the Energy Security Bill and expects to set out how it will proceed shortly.


Written Question
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Stonewall
Wednesday 17th November 2021

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 1 November 2021 to Question 61054 on Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Stonewall, for what reason that Answer did not include the £1,295 +VAT paid by his Department for staff attendance at Stonewall Leadership Programme in 2020 as per an FOI response in April 2021, reference FOI2021/04447; and whether other funding by his Department to Stonewall was omitted in that Answer.

Answered by George Freeman

The additional spend was omitted due to a drafting error.

In the 2017-2018 financial year, an additional £200 + VAT was paid for one ticket to the Stonewall Workplace Conference on 22 September 2017. In the 2018-2019 financial year, an additional £1,495 + VAT was paid for five tickets to the Stonewall Workplace Conference on 27 April 2018. In the 2020-2021 financial year, £1,295 + VAT was paid for a staff member to attend the Stonewall Leadership Programme.


Written Question
Toys and Games: Internet
Wednesday 17th November 2021

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

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 ensure that parents who purchase unsafe toys through an online marketplaces can seek compensation in the event of their child coming to harm.

Answered by Paul Scully

All toys placed on the UK market, including those sold online, must meet essential safety requirements under the UK Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 and there are criminal sanctions for non-compliance. Where non-compliant products, including toys, are being sold online by third party sellers the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is taking action.

This includes using data and intelligence to target the supply routes, and disrupt the sale, of unsafe products sold by third-party sellers online as well as acting to remove listings. As a result, OPSS has helped take down more than 10,000 unsafe products, including toys, from online marketplaces in 2021.

OPSS is also raising public awareness of the risks of buying online from third-party sellers who are based overseas. An Important Product Safety Message to consumers, encouraging them to check who they are buying from when using online marketplaces, was published on 10th November and OPSS is running a Christmas Toys product safety information campaign.


Written Question
Toys and Games: Manufacturing Industries
Wednesday 17th November 2021

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

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 prevent unregulated third-party toy sellers who are based overseas from undercutting British toy manufacturers.

Answered by Paul Scully

All toys placed on the UK market, including those sold online, must meet essential safety requirements under the UK Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 and there are criminal sanctions for non-compliance. Where non-compliant products, including toys, are being sold online by third party sellers the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is taking action.

This includes using data and intelligence to target the supply routes, and disrupt the sale, of unsafe products sold by third-party sellers online as well as acting to remove listings. As a result, OPSS has helped take down more than 10,000 unsafe products, including toys, from online marketplaces in 2021.

OPSS is also raising public awareness of the risks of buying online from third-party sellers who are based overseas. An Important Product Safety Message to consumers, encouraging them to check who they are buying from when using online marketplaces, was published on 10th November and OPSS is running a Christmas Toys product safety information campaign.


Written Question
Climate Change: Children
Tuesday 9th November 2021

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

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 lead by example in their decision-making process on climate change by consulting with children in the UK and overseas to gain their insight as UK policies are developed and reviewed.

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

The UK COP26 Presidency is committed to amplifying the voices of young people in the UK and across the world leading up to and at COP26. My Rt. Hon. Friend the President for COP26 committed to meeting with young people in every international visit over the last year and has established the COP26 Civil Society and Youth Advisory Council. The UK is committed to COP26 being inclusive and established several advisory groups to guide planning and delivery of COP. This includes youth and civil society advisory groups co-chaired by youth representatives.

At COP26, the UL has hosted a dedicated Youth & Public Empowerment Day to elevate youth voices and demonstrate the critical role of education and empowerment to drive climate action. We worked closely with YOUNGO (the official children’s and youth constituency to the UNFCCC) to co-create the events programme for the day.

As set out in our Net Zero Strategy, we will continue to give people opportunities to participate in and shape our plans for reaching net zero.


Written Question
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Stonewall
Monday 1st November 2021

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what funds have been paid by his Department to Stonewall in each of the last five years; and to what projects those funds were allocated.

Answered by George Freeman

In the last five years, the Department has paid a membership fee to Stonewall of £2,500 + VAT every year as part of the Diversity Champions programme. Membership of the Stonewall Diversity Champions programme is reviewed on an annual basis by the Diversity & Inclusion team and the LGBT+ Network and will be reviewed again ahead of the 2022-2023 financial year.


Written Question
Renewable Energy: Community Development
Friday 22nd October 2021

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has plans to support the Local Electricity Bill to achieve its aim of unblocking the potential for community renewable energy generation.

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

The Government agrees with the broad aims of the Local Electricity Bill but does not support it as the means to enable local energy supply. There are already mechanisms in the market to allow local supply. The current Ofgem regulatory regime allows for a company to supply a specific geographic area, and small-scale generators can also apply for a licence exemption in some cases to reduce the regulatory burdens of operating at a community level.

The Government are supporting community energy projects through the Rural Community Energy Fund and the Government will work with Ofgem to ensure that local communities can play their role in delivering Net Zero and a Green Recovery.


Written Question
British Academy: Leasehold
Tuesday 21st September 2021

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

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 publish the terms of the funds made available to the British Academy to purchase a long lease on their building in Carlton House Terrace; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by George Freeman

The National Academies, including the British Academy, are an integral part of the UK’s R&D landscape and provide an important contribution to securing the UK’s status as a global science superpower. In 2018 a grant of £14m was provided to the British Academy to support the extension of the lease on their premises. This also enabled a private donation of £10m, which was conditional on the capital investment. The funding secured the Academy’s long-term future in Carlton House Terrace, close to the other National Academies, providing an intellectual and cultural hub of world-leading knowledge and expertise. In line with usual practice, the government does not publish detailed commercial terms and conditions of grant agreements with individual organisations.