Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many and what proportion of eligible (a) park home and (b) all households have received Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding payments; how much and what proportion of the money allocated to the scheme has been paid out; and if he will make a statement on how eligible households can now receive this money.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government published the latest figures for the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) on GOV.UK on 13 July, with figures correct as of 29 June - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-bills-support-scheme-alternative-fund-gb-ni-and-alternative-fuel-payment-alternative-fund-applications-made-by-customers. Officials estimated that there were around 900,000 households eligible for the scheme, including an estimated 85,000 – 125,000 park homes. The department was allocated £362m from HM Treasury to deliver the scheme, with over £60m being paid out to eligible households.
The EBSS AF closed on 31 May. No new applications can now be made. The Government recommends that any household that did not apply for support or were ineligible and require help with their energy bills visits the ‘Help for Households’ webpage on GOV.UK to view what other support may be available - https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking in response to comments made by the Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee on 15 July 2023 on the effectiveness of the Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government understands the concerns expressed regarding the take-up of the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding. However, the scheme is now closed to new applications. The scheme was open for applications from end February to end May. During that time, the Government used a variety of communication methods to ensure as many eligible households as possible could apply for their support. This included press notices, roundtables with key stakeholders, and a request for local authorities to write to care homes and park home sites in their area.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding payments were awarded by type of accommodation applied for in (a) Cynon Valley constituency, (b) Rhondda Cynon Taf local authority, (c) Wales and (d) the UK.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The table below provides a breakdown of the numbers of households by accommodation types that were paid or approved for payment under the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) in Wales and the UK.
Breakdowns of the same data at constituent or local authority level would be disclosive.
EBSS AF: Total number of households paid or approved for payment as of 11 July 2023
Region | Wales | UK |
Care Homes | 1,100 | 20,740 |
Farmers | 350 | 7,750 |
Heat Networks | 850 | 17,930 |
Home Owner | 360 | 6,590 |
House Boats | 10 | 2,950 |
Park Homes | 1,800 | 42,230 |
Tenants in Council, Association or Temporary Accommodation | 890 | 12,270 |
Tenants in Private Accommodation | 700 | 21,480 |
Travellers and All Others | 830 | 16,540 |
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the impact assessment for the Energy Bills Support Scheme, published on 12 October 2022, on what evidential basis table 12 indicates that there are between 85,000 and 125,000 park homes; and if he will take steps to make a more precise estimate of the number of park homes.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government used information from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and from the Scottish and Welsh governments, to estimate the number of park home households eligible for the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding. As the scheme is now closed to new applications, the department will not be taking any further steps to estimate the number of households who were eligible for support.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the number of park home residents in England who were eligible for payments under the Energy Bills Support Scheme; how many applications under the scheme have been received; and how many have been successful.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government published its working assumption for the number of eligible park home residents for the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS) in October 2022 - https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3341/publications. The latest application figures for the EBSS AF were published on 15 June on GOV.UK - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-bills-support-scheme-alternative-fund-gb-ni-and-alternative-fuel-payment-alternative-fund-applications-made-by-customers
The final application figures for the scheme will be published later in the year.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to implement its commitment in 2018 to (a) legislate to simplify complex company and opaque structures used to limit the security of tenure of park home residents and (b) amend the definition of pitch fees to prevent the use of variable service charges for park home residents in pitch fee agreements.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We have made significant progress on the implementation of our 2018 commitments, including supporting my Honourable Friend's Private Member's Bill which will change the inflationary index used in pitch fee reviews from the retail price index to the lower consumer price index.
We remain focused on improving the sector and will introduce primary legislation to implement our remaining commitments, when the parliamentary timetable allows.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for what reason the request by National Trading Standards for funding to enable it to resource an investigation into Park Home residents’ pitch fee agreements has been refused; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that consumer legislation to protect park home residents is enforced.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade has not received a request for additional funding from National Trading Standards (NTS) for such an investigation.
NTS operates independently and receives funding from the Department to respond to breaches of consumer law significant at a national or regional level. NTS base enforcement decisions on an intelligence-led assessment which determines their priorities.
The Government is seeking to strengthen consumer rights and their enforcement through the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, including through enabling enforcement agencies to impose tougher fines on noncompliant businesses.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to respond to the report commissioned by his Department entitled The impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission, published in June 2022.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The report makes four recommendations which require more detailed consideration and further engagement with the sector to fully understand the impact of any change and ensure the long term viability of the sector.
We will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether it his policy that the power under Clause 5(7) of the Renters (Reform ) Bill will only be used to apply to assured tenancies which are not social housing where the rent of the assured tenancy does not exceed the rent of an equivalent property let in the social housing sector.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Further to the answer given to Question UIN 185473 on 22 May 2023, updated dwelling stock estimates published today continue to show that supply within the private rented sector is roughly stable.
We are continuing to monitor the private rented sector, through sources such as the English Housing Survey and ONS Rental Price Index.
The Renters (Reform) Bill exempts Private Registered Providers of Social Housing (PRPSH) offering assured tenancies of social housing from these changes. These are defined as a ‘relevant low-cost tenancy’. The power allows the Secretary of State to specify a description of other assured tenancies that meet the definition of ‘relevant low-cost tenancy’.
The Bill does not apply to those whose accommodation does not meet the definition of a ‘dwelling’ as defined in housing legislation, such as those who live in caravans. We continue to take a series of measures across the park homes sector and I am happy to discuss our plans further with the Hon member at his convenience.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of clause five of the Renters (Reform) Bill on (a) trends in the level of rent, (b) the difference between changes in market rents and changes in the Consumer Prices Index and (c) the supply of rental properties.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Further to the answer given to Question UIN 185473 on 22 May 2023, updated dwelling stock estimates published today continue to show that supply within the private rented sector is roughly stable.
We are continuing to monitor the private rented sector, through sources such as the English Housing Survey and ONS Rental Price Index.
The Renters (Reform) Bill exempts Private Registered Providers of Social Housing (PRPSH) offering assured tenancies of social housing from these changes. These are defined as a ‘relevant low-cost tenancy’. The power allows the Secretary of State to specify a description of other assured tenancies that meet the definition of ‘relevant low-cost tenancy’.
The Bill does not apply to those whose accommodation does not meet the definition of a ‘dwelling’ as defined in housing legislation, such as those who live in caravans. We continue to take a series of measures across the park homes sector and I am happy to discuss our plans further with the Hon member at his convenience.