Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 take steps to ban (a) gas boilers, (b) other direct emissions boilers that emit greenhouse gases as defined under the Climate Change Act 2008 and (c) emissions of nitrogen oxides from boilers.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Heat and Buildings Strategy set a framework to support a gradual transition to low-carbon heating, including setting an aim to phase out the installation of new and replacement natural gas boilers by 2035.
The Government has consulted on phasing out the installation of fossil fuel boilers off the gas grid in England and will respond in due course
The Government is considering the case for tighter emissions standards for medium combustion plant, which will include nitrogen oxides emitted from industrial boilers. The Government is continuing to assess the evidence, develop policy options and will consult in due course.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate his Department has made of the potential difference between the average energy bill of (a) a heat network customer and (b) the national average energy bill in the next 12 months.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government believes that consumers living in a typical building on a heat network benefiting from the Energy Bill Relief Scheme will still be paying more per year for their heating than comparable domestic metered gas consumers benefiting from the Energy Price Guarantee.
For an average property the Government estimated a £60 differential, but it is important to note that there is a large variation in bills due to the wide range of technologies and efficiencies of heat networks. The Government will provide a £100 payment this winter to compensate heat network domestic users for these higher costs of heating, ensuring they receive equivalent support to other domestic consumers.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the areas of the UK that will be most affected by extreme heat during summer 2022.
Answered by Jane Hunt
Long-term average temperatures (1991-2020) show that a band extending from Surrey to Cambridgeshire is usually most likely to experience the absolute highest maximum temperatures in the UK during summer.
The Met Office 3-month outlook indicates there is a higher chance of a hot summer in 2022 compared to the long-term average. Detailed information at regional and local level is provided in short range forecasts.
When extreme temperatures are forecast the Met Office issues severe weather warnings for affected areas and works closely across government and with responder partners to support preparations for potential impacts.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 (a) number and (b) dates of meetings between Ministers in his Department and representatives of renewable energy companies since 1 September 2021.
Answered by Greg Hands
Ministers regularly meet with external stakeholders. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 (a) number and (b) dates of meetings between Ministers in his Department with representatives of the oil and gas industry since 1 September 2021.
Answered by Greg Hands
Ministers regularly meet with external stakeholders. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of introducing minimum energy efficiency standards for owner-occupied homes.
Answered by Greg Hands
I refer the hon. member to the answer I gave her on 9th February 2022 to Question 116013.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 Department's Heat Pump Ready Programme, if he will make an estimate of the total number of heat pump installations that have taken place in each of the past three years in each local authority area.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Heat Pump Ready Programme, part of the £1billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, was launched October 2021.
Heat Pump Ready Stream 1, Phase 1 projects began feasibility studies in July 2022 and have not yet installed heat pumps. BEIS recently published the Stream 1, Phase 1 projects. In Stream 1, Phase 2, commencing in early 2023, the most successful Phase 1 projects will trial their proposed methodology, deploying heat pumps within their local authority areas.
An earlier BEIS Energy Innovation Programme, Electrification of Heat Demonstrator, has installed a total of 742 heat pumps across South-east Scotland, Newcastle and South-East England.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for the total number installations made under the Green Homes Grant since its completion.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme closed to new applicants at the end of 31 March 2021. The latest Green Homes Grant voucher release official statistics published in February 2022 show, at the end of 7 February 2022, nearly 49,600 measures were installed.