Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department provides financial support to (a) schools, (b) academy trusts and (c) local authorities for the cost of (i) overheads and (ii) maintenance required under the terms of private finance initiative contracts.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Mid Bedfordshire Upper Schools PFI contract covers two schools and was signed on 22nd December 2003.
The department’s private finance initiative (PFI) Revenue Support Grant (RSG) funding for the Mid Bedfordshire Upper Schools Project is paid to the Local Authority, Central Bedfordshire Council, rather than directly to schools. No payments are made by the department to Bedfordshire Schools Trust Ltd in relation to the Mid Bedfordshire Upper Schools PFI contract. The department has paid PFI RSG funding of £1,886,314 for each of the last ten years from 2014/15 to 2023/24 to Central Bedfordshire Council. All payments under Mid Bedfordshire Schools PFI Project to Bedfordshire Schools Trust Ltd are made by Central Bedfordshire Council.
The department supports local authorities that entered schools PFI contracts by providing Revenue Support Grant funding for the term of the PFI contract, which is normally 25 years. Central Bedfordshire Council, as the contracting party to Mid Bedfordshire Upper Schools Project PFI agreement, combines RSG grant funding from the department, plus additional funds from their own resources, to pay the PFI unitary charge to the contractor. The schools within each PFI contract ordinarily contribute towards the cost of the facilities. This applies equally to maintained schools and to academies.
The department also supports schools that have unavoidable extra premises costs related to their PFI contracts through the ‘PFI factor’ in the schools national funding formula (NFF). This funding is paid out to local authorities through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and is then allocated to schools by local authorities through their own local formulae.
The PFI factor only covers unavoidable extra premises costs, primarily related to the building itself. Costs which all schools face, such as facilities management and energy costs should be covered by the funding schools receive from the other formula factors in their local authority’s funding formula.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department has given to (a) schools in Mid Bedfordshire and (b) Galliford Try in relation to the PFI contract between Central Bedfordshire Council and Galliford Try in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Mid Bedfordshire Upper Schools PFI contract covers two schools and was signed on 22nd December 2003.
The department’s private finance initiative (PFI) Revenue Support Grant (RSG) funding for the Mid Bedfordshire Upper Schools Project is paid to the Local Authority, Central Bedfordshire Council, rather than directly to schools. No payments are made by the department to Bedfordshire Schools Trust Ltd in relation to the Mid Bedfordshire Upper Schools PFI contract. The department has paid PFI RSG funding of £1,886,314 for each of the last ten years from 2014/15 to 2023/24 to Central Bedfordshire Council. All payments under Mid Bedfordshire Schools PFI Project to Bedfordshire Schools Trust Ltd are made by Central Bedfordshire Council.
The department supports local authorities that entered schools PFI contracts by providing Revenue Support Grant funding for the term of the PFI contract, which is normally 25 years. Central Bedfordshire Council, as the contracting party to Mid Bedfordshire Upper Schools Project PFI agreement, combines RSG grant funding from the department, plus additional funds from their own resources, to pay the PFI unitary charge to the contractor. The schools within each PFI contract ordinarily contribute towards the cost of the facilities. This applies equally to maintained schools and to academies.
The department also supports schools that have unavoidable extra premises costs related to their PFI contracts through the ‘PFI factor’ in the schools national funding formula (NFF). This funding is paid out to local authorities through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and is then allocated to schools by local authorities through their own local formulae.
The PFI factor only covers unavoidable extra premises costs, primarily related to the building itself. Costs which all schools face, such as facilities management and energy costs should be covered by the funding schools receive from the other formula factors in their local authority’s funding formula.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the number of households in Wales affected by (a) charges which represent a significant proportion of their income and (b) poor standards of workmanship under the Energy Company Obligation Scheme since July 2022.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) places a requirement on larger energy suppliers to deliver heating and insulation measures to eligible low-income and fuel poor households. Energy suppliers recoup delivery costs through consumer bills.
Homes benefitting from ECO4 will cut approximately £430 off their energy bills.
The Department does not hold data on the number of households affected by poor standards of workmanship under ECO. Through the ongoing evaluation of ECO4, we are gathering feedback from a sample of households on their satisfaction with installations.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department and its predecessor Department have taken to reduce the costs of error in the last three financial years.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) was established on 7th February 2023. Prior to this date the portfolio for DSIT sat within the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The published BEIS Annual Report & Accounts provide a summary of counter fraud activity and respective costs related to fraud. The Cross-Government Fraud Landscape Annual Report 2022 highlights the latest available data relating to fraud and error across government.
The Government is proud of its record in proactively seeking to find and prevent more fraud in the system. We have established the dedicated Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA). In its first year it delivered £311 million in audited counter fraud benefits.
Due to the Machinery of Government changes, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology have not yet produced fraud and error estimates, but this will be published in the 23/24 annual report and accounts.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions she has had with Ofgem on (a) the temporary increase to the price cap to pay off debt and (b) whether energy companies will use this money to reduce indebted customers’ balances.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In England, estimates indicate that the government support provided prevented 389,000 households from becoming fuel poor in 2023.
Despite unprecedented support with bills, the Government recognises consumer energy debt as a large and growing issue and understands the cost-of-living challenges households are facing.
Ofgem has a responsibility for setting the price cap at which suppliers can recover costs they incur, and the government expects suppliers to do all they can to support customers in debt, particularly vulnerable customers.
We welcome Ofgem’s ‘Affordability and debt in the domestic retail market – call for input' published 11 March 2024 and look forward to seeing the results and Ofgem’s next course of action. Details of Ofgem’s consultation can be found here: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/affordability-and-debt-domestic-retail-market-call-input
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will hold discussions with Ofgem on ensuring that energy consumers who are not in debt are not financially disadvantaged by energy companies minimising exposure to bad debt through higher standing charges.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Minsters and Officials have regular meetings with Ofgem to discuss a wide range of issues, including standing charges.
Ofgem recently sought views on standing charges and is currently analysing the responses. Further information is available at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/standing-charges-call-input .
It is not uncommon in consumer markets for companies to recover costs, such as customer debt, from their wider customer base. Otherwise, it could risk the company being inadequately funded for the services they provide, including help and support to vulnerable customers. Without adequate funding, it could also risk suppliers going insolvent, giving rise to potentially significant additional costs of a supplier of last resort or special administration regime.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing the use of imported electricity on (a) industrial and (b) domestic energy prices.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Interconnectors are built to share energy with some of our closest European allies, who are also generating renewable, clean energy at affordable prices, enabling access to lower-cost electricity for GB consumers. Analysis supporting the Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan [1] showed that increasing the level of interconnection could reduce system costs by over £1bn annually (based on 2012 prices).
New interconnectors are subject to an independent and robust regulatory process run by Ofgem, ensuring that only projects which bring benefits to GB consumers are built.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department and its predecessor Department have taken to reduce the costs of fraud in the Department in the last three financial years.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) was established on 7th February 2023. Prior to this date the portfolio for DSIT sat within the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The published BEIS Annual Report & Accounts provide a summary of counter fraud activity and respective costs related to fraud. The Cross-Government Fraud Landscape Annual Report 2022 highlights the latest available data relating to fraud and error across government.
Presently, as for all Government Departments, DSIT counter fraud activity is governed by Government Functional Standards for Counter Fraud, covering both proactive and reactive counter fraud activity, and set out by the Government Counter Fraud Function (GCFF). Adherence to standards is monitored and reviewed by the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA).
In 2022/23 the PSFA set a target of delivering £180 million of savings to the taxpayer. In fact, the PSFA far surpassed this within the first 12 months by preventing and recovering £311 million. As it enters its second year, the PSFA has a target of achieving £185 million of savings for the taxpayer.
The Government has also announced an additional £34 million to deploy cutting edge tools and Artificial Intelligence tools to help combat fraud across the public sector, saving £100 million for the public purse. This is in addition to existing partnerships between PSFA and the tech sector.
The Government is determined to uncover fraud in the public sector and is proud of its record.
Asked by: Thérèse Coffey (Conservative - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking with OFGEM to reduce daily standing charges for gas and electricity in Suffolk.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In November, Ofgem announced a review into standing charges, exploring how it is applied to energy bills and potential alternatives. The review had now closed and Ofgem is currently analysing the input it has received. Ofgem will publish its response in due course.
The variance in standing charge is mainly due to regional differences in energy distribution costs. These costs reflect the expenses of maintaining a live supply in a specific area, and the number of consumers those costs are spread across.
On 30 March, I wrote to Ofgem, highlighting the importance of keeping standing charges as low as possible.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which leisure centres have been recipients of the funding under the Swimming Pool Support Fund.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to swimming pools, as swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing access to leisure facilities lies at Local Authority level, and the Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.
In 2023/24, the Government provided over £60 million in additional funding to support operating costs and help improve energy efficiency of facilities through the Swimming Pool Support Fund, delivered via Sport England. In total, the Swimming Pool Support Fund (£60 million exchequer, £20 million of Sport England National Lottery funding) will fund 442 individual facilities and 788 individual pools across 269 Local Authorities by March 2025.
Further details of local authorities and swimming pools/leisure centres awarded funding from Phase I and Phase II of the Swimming Pool Support Fund are available on Sport England’s website at:
https://www.sportengland.org/news/swimming-pool-support-fund-keeps-leisure-centres-afloat