Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of taking steps to help tackle hidden commission fees charged by energy brokers on costs for businesses; and whether he has considered introducing a regulatory framework to help tackle those fees.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has consulted on introducing a regulatory regime for the TPI market. This would raise standards, protect businesses from harmful practices, and improve consumer confidence in responsible TPIs. Earlier this month, the Government published a summary of the responses to the consultation, which set out that most respondents supported introducing regulation for TPIs. We will publish a Government response to the consultation, setting out future plans on TPI regulation, in due course.
Current regulatory oversight of TPIs within the energy market primarily consists of voluntary codes of practice, Ofgem licence conditions on energy suppliers, and consumer protection regulations. These codes of practice outline best practices and standards for TPI conduct in areas such as transparency, customer engagement, and ethical behaviour.
Ofgem imposes licence conditions on energy suppliers that indirectly affect the activities of TPIs. These include requirements related to transparent pricing for non-domestic customers using TPIs and access to redress for microbusiness consumers, and, since December, to small businesses.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps (a) his Department and (b) Ofgem are able to take to help tackle misconduct by Third-Party Intermediaries in the energy market.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has consulted on introducing a regulatory regime for the TPI market. This would raise standards, protect businesses from harmful practices, and improve consumer confidence in responsible TPIs. Earlier this month, the Government published a summary of the responses to the consultation, which set out that most respondents supported introducing regulation for TPIs. We will publish a Government response to the consultation, setting out future plans on TPI regulation, in due course.
Current regulatory oversight of TPIs within the energy market primarily consists of voluntary codes of practice, Ofgem licence conditions on energy suppliers, and consumer protection regulations. These codes of practice outline best practices and standards for TPI conduct in areas such as transparency, customer engagement, and ethical behaviour.
Ofgem imposes licence conditions on energy suppliers that indirectly affect the activities of TPIs. These include requirements related to transparent pricing for non-domestic customers using TPIs and access to redress for microbusiness consumers, and, since December, to small businesses.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she has taken to ensure that the Spending Review 2025 is compatible with the UK’s (a) net zero target and (b) interim carbon budgets.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury has established processes to assess the climate and environmental impacts of major spending bids These impacts informed, alongside other policy considerations, decisions made at Spending Review 2025.
In total, the Government committed £63bn in capital funding at Spending Review 2025 for clean energy, climate, and nature, including nuclear. This will support our Clean Energy Superpower Mission and help us continue to make progress in meeting net zero and our interim Carbon Budgets.
However, public spending is just one lever to support our climate targets. The Government will set out an updated whole economy plan to meet Carbon Budgets 4-6 through the publication of a refreshed Carbon Budget Delivery and Growth Plan later this year.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to increase taxes on oil and gas companies to help fund investment in (a) clean energy, (b) home insulation and (c) other climate measures.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The oil and gas industry is currently subject to a headline tax rate of 78%, which includes the 38% Energy Profits Levy, following reforms announced by the government at Autumn Budget 2024.
At the Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced it would increase the rate of the EPL by 3 percentage points, extend the period the levy applies until 31 March 2030 and abolish an investment allowance which was not available to any other sector, helping to raise funding towards our ambitious clean energy goals. These changes were implemented from 1 November 2024 . The Office for Budget Responsibility expect the oil and gas sector will raise c£16bn in tax receipts between 2025/26 and 2029/30, inclusive of around £11bn from the EPL alone.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his planned timetable is for the work his Department has commissioned on removing barriers to local supply faced by community energy schemes.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that local energy will play an important role in achieving the mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030, and some electricity suppliers are already working with community energy groups to support local supply. We published the summary of responses to the previous Call for Evidence on Barriers to Community Energy in March 2025 and officials in my department are currently undertaking research and engagement, including in the form of workshops with key stakeholders, to work through this complex issue and understand any unintended consequences to the wider system and bill payers from unlocking local supply. Further updates and outcomes from this work will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that YouTube is compliant with the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act gives online platforms new duties to put in place systems and processes to remove illegal content on their services, including extreme misogynistic content. Ofcom has a broad range of powers to assess and enforce compliance with the Act, including issuing fines to services that do not comply. Ensuring that women are safe online is a priority for this government, and we have committed to halving violence against women and girls in the next decade.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had recent discussions with YouTube on tackling extreme misogynistic content.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act gives online platforms new duties to put in place systems and processes to remove illegal content on their services, including extreme misogynistic content. Ofcom has a broad range of powers to assess and enforce compliance with the Act, including issuing fines to services that do not comply. Ensuring that women are safe online is a priority for this government, and we have committed to halving violence against women and girls in the next decade.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase access to breast cancer risk assessment for women under 50.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Health Service breast cancer risk assessments are undertaken to identify the risk of having an inherited tendency of developing breast cancer. Breast screening is offered to women under the age of 50 years old according to nationally recommended guidelines, based on assessed risk. These can be found on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s website, at the following link:
https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/breast-screening/
Some women have an increased chance of developing breast cancer because of their genes. Five to 10 out of 100, or 5% to 10% of, all breast cancers happen because of an inherited tendency, also called a genetic predisposition.
The Government does not currently plan to increase access to breast cancer risk assessments for women under 50 years old who are not at higher risk of developing breast cancer due to inherited tendency.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the introduction of mandatory food waste reporting.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues. No recent discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State and Cabinet colleagues on the subject of mandatory food waste reporting.
This Government has announced the development of a food strategy as well as its plans to publish a Circular Economy Strategy for England. Defra recognises the importance of reducing food waste in the supply chain and as this work is developed, the evidence for action will be considered as we evaluate what interventions may be needed, including the potential introduction of a mandatory food waste reporting requirement for large food businesses.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to maintain (a) optionality and (b) competition in the Clean Power Plan.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Table 1 of the Clean Power Action Plan sets out a range of potential installed capacity levels for different technologies in 2030. This reflects the Government’s commitment to maintaining optionality by supporting a diverse mix of technologies capable of delivering a clean power system.
The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme is the government’s main mechanism for supporting new low-carbon electricity generation projects in Great Britain. CfDs are awarded through regular, competitive auctions, with the lowest-priced bids successful.
We have recently consulted on reforms to increase competition in the CfD scheme. We will publish a full government response to this consultation before Allocation Round 7 opens in the Summer.