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1121730

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Conditions of Employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to prevent employers (a) firing and (b) rehiring employees by changing employment contracts.
tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
tabling member printed	Martyn Day
uin	245890
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>On 17 December 2018 we published the Good Work Plan, which sets out our vision for the future of the labour market and our ambitious plan for implementing the recommendations arising from the Taylor Review. This important package represents the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in over 20 years and demonstrates how we are leading the way internationally to ensure workers have access to the rights and protections they deserve in the context of a changing world of work.</p><p> </p><p>Successive governments have introduced a legal framework which ensures that employers should always treat their employees fairly.</p><p> </p><p>In general, the terms and conditions of employment are for negotiation and agreement between employers and employees (or their representatives). Once agreed, however, they form a legally binding contract of employment. While it is always open to either party to seek to renegotiate the terms of the contract, if the employer changes any of the terms without the employee’s agreement, the employee may be entitled to seek legal redress.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, employees who consider that their dismissal was unfair can complain to an employment tribunal, generally subject to a qualifying period of continuous service.</p><p> </p><p>Both employers and employees are strongly encouraged to follow the guidance available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/your-employment-contract-how-it-can-be-changed when considering changing their terms and conditions of employment.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 30/04/2019 09:39:33 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1121731

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Business: Conditions of Employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) small, (b) medium-sized and (c) large businesses that have (i) fired and (ii) rehired employees in accordance with his Department's guidance on changing an employment contract in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
tabling member printed	Martyn Day
uin	245891
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government do not hold statistics on this matter. In general, the terms and conditions of employment are for negotiation and agreement between employers and employees (or their representatives). Once agreed, however, they form a legally binding contract of employment. While it is always open to either party to seek to renegotiate the terms of the contract, if the employer changes any of the terms without the employee’s agreement, the employee may be entitled to seek legal redress.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, employees who consider that their dismissal was unfair can complain to an employment tribunal, generally subject to a qualifying period of continuous service.</p><p> </p><p>Both employers and employees are strongly encouraged to follow the guidance available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/your-employment-contract-how-it-can-be-changed when considering changing their terms and conditions of employment.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 30/04/2019 09:39:41 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1121758

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Whirlpool Corporation: Tumble Dryers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of mandating the recall of faulty Whirlpool machines in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Lloyd Russell-Moyle
uin	245942
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) published the findings of its review of Whirlpool’s tumble dryer modification programme on 4 April. The review found that there is a low risk of harm or injury from lint fires in modified machines.</p><p> </p><p>OPSS has written to Whirlpool setting out the actions it must take, including using more creative ways to reach affected consumers to minimise the risk of faulty machines still being in people’s homes. Whirlpool has 28 days to respond from the date of the letter setting out what further actions it will take. OPSS will hold Whirlpool to account in regard to these requirements.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 30/04/2019 09:38:56 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4615 label Biography information for Lloyd Russell-Moyle

1121760

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Electricity Interconnectors: Europe
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of electricity used in England and Wales was imported from Europe via interconnector in (a) 2017 and (b) 2018.
tabling member constituency	North East Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Alistair Burt
uin	245666
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2019 answer text <p>In 2017, of 308.1 TWh electricity used in England and Wales, 14.8 TWh (4.8 per cent) was imported from Europe into the UK via interconnectors. This includes electricity used by generators, for pumped storage, losses, and final consumption.</p><p> </p><p>Data for 2018 split by regions of the UK are not yet available. These will be published in December 2019.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 01/05/2019 16:06:23 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt

1121796

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Boilers: Natural Gas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2019 to Question 241381 on Boilers: Natural Gas, whether he has read the BRE's briefing paper, BRE Briefing Note: The future of domestic boiler performance metrics in the UK, published in 2017; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	245593
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2019 answer text <p>BEIS officials are aware of BRE’s report and have considered its content.</p><p> </p><p>I can confirm that when the Energy-related Product (ErP) Directive standards were introduced in April 2018, the majority of boilers on the market met or exceeded the minimum efficiency requirement of 92 per cent. Since coming into force, all boilers installed in England must meet this standard. 87 per cent of responses to the 2016 consultation <em>Heat in Buildings: The Future of Heat in Domestic Buildings</em> supported the new efficiency rating in recognition of the opportunities this provided for households and UK industries.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 01/05/2019 16:06:10 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1121837

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Housing: Insulation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many additional insulation measures a week are required to achieve the National Infrastructure Commission’s recommendation of increasing the rate of insulation measures installed in UK homes to 21,000 a week by 2020.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	245865
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2019 answer text <p>ECO delivered approximately 2,800 insulation measures a week in 2018, but insulation is also delivered outside of ECO. We do not have data for those measures. A further 18,200 insulation measures a week would be required to reach 21,000 per week, when compared to insulation delivered under ECO during 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Our view is that a range of measures are needed alongside ECO to drive an increase in deployment of energy efficiency. In the Clean Growth Strategy we set out our aspiration to improve all homes to EPC Band C by 2035, where cost effective, affordable and practical. Alongside the Clean Growth Strategy we called for evidence on Building a Market for Energy Efficiency, which sought evidence on the range of measures required to shape the market for the future in line with the aspiration.</p><p> </p><p>Other insulation measures are expected to be delivered under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards Regulations, which require private rented properties in England and Wales to have an EPC rating of at least an E before they can be let. Where a landlord needs to improve an EPC F or G property to meet the standard, their costs are capped at £3,500.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 01/05/2019 16:06:30 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1121838

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Energy: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a low interest loan scheme for home owners to help make homes low carbon and energy efficient similar to the scheme introduced by the German Government.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	245866
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2019 answer text <p>The Clean Growth Strategy set out our aspiration that as many homes as possible will be upgraded to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C by 2035, where practical, cost-effective and affordable. BEIS estimate that the total investment cost of meeting this aspiration is in the order of £35-65 billion (undiscounted), with the actual cost dependent on a range of factors including the technology mix used in particular properties.</p><p> </p><p>Further innovation in home energy efficiency measures could lead to cost reductions which reduce these estimates significantly. A key component of the Buildings Mission announced last year, is to halve the cost of retrofitting existing homes to a similar standard of new homes. We recently approved a £10 million innovation project for whole house retrofit, to demonstrate a cost reduction trajectory through retrofitting similar properties at scale.</p><p> </p><p>Improving the energy efficiency of our homes reduces the overall energy system costs of heat decarbonisation. The level of additional energy efficiency required is dependent on the heat decarbonisation scenario.</p><p> </p><p>Given the scale of investment required, financing these improvements will require funding from both public and private sources. In the Clean Growth Strategy, we committed to extend support for home energy efficiency improvements to 2028 at least at current levels of support through the Energy Company Obligation. This is equivalent to around £6 billion of investment. Additional investment in cost-effective energy efficiency measures will be needed from private sources, including owner occupiers, social landlords and private landlords. For example, landlords of the worst performing properties are already required to invest up to £3500 in improving their homes to a minimum EPC Band E before they let their property, where no third party funding is available.</p><p> </p><p>Different parts of the UK have taken different approaches, reflecting the devolved nature of energy efficiency policy. In Scotland, for instance, zero interest loans are available to homeowners for energy efficiency improvements as well as equity loans where interest is repaid on sale of the property.</p><p> </p><p>In other EU countries a range of approaches have been taken to support home energy efficiency improvements. These include low and zero interest loans, mortgage incentives, capital subsidies, tax credits and reduced VAT on the installation of energy efficiency measures. We are always looking to learn from international experience in developing policies which are right for the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Given the importance of low cost financing, our Call for Evidence on Building a Market for Energy Efficiency sought evidence on different ways of financing energy efficiency, and other fiscal incentives. Different approaches will be appropriate for different consumer groups and tenure types and there is no one size fits all approach. We are currently analysing responses to this.</p><p> </p><p>Financing these improvements presents real opportunities for green finance innovation, for example around green mortgage products or green bonds. The UK’s first ever Green Finance Strategy will also be published in the summer. This strategy will build on the recommendations of the Green Finance Taskforce report: Accelerating Green Finance and will set out the steps required to attract the investment we need into our clean economy, including around financing residential energy efficiency.</p><p> </p><p>We will set out further details on how we will catalyse the market for energy efficiency later in the year and stimulate the required investment. This will take account of responses to our Call for Evidence alongside recommendations from the National Infrastructure Commission, and Committee on Climate Change.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 245868 245869 245876 245878 245879 245881 245882 question first answered 01/05/2019 16:06:56 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1121841

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Energy Performance Certificates
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the amount of funding required to achieve the Government’s target of all homes being rated EPC band C by 2035.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	245868
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2019 answer text <p>The Clean Growth Strategy set out our aspiration that as many homes as possible will be upgraded to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C by 2035, where practical, cost-effective and affordable. BEIS estimate that the total investment cost of meeting this aspiration is in the order of £35-65 billion (undiscounted), with the actual cost dependent on a range of factors including the technology mix used in particular properties.</p><p> </p><p>Further innovation in home energy efficiency measures could lead to cost reductions which reduce these estimates significantly. A key component of the Buildings Mission announced last year, is to halve the cost of retrofitting existing homes to a similar standard of new homes. We recently approved a £10 million innovation project for whole house retrofit, to demonstrate a cost reduction trajectory through retrofitting similar properties at scale.</p><p> </p><p>Improving the energy efficiency of our homes reduces the overall energy system costs of heat decarbonisation. The level of additional energy efficiency required is dependent on the heat decarbonisation scenario.</p><p> </p><p>Given the scale of investment required, financing these improvements will require funding from both public and private sources. In the Clean Growth Strategy, we committed to extend support for home energy efficiency improvements to 2028 at least at current levels of support through the Energy Company Obligation. This is equivalent to around £6 billion of investment. Additional investment in cost-effective energy efficiency measures will be needed from private sources, including owner occupiers, social landlords and private landlords. For example, landlords of the worst performing properties are already required to invest up to £3500 in improving their homes to a minimum EPC Band E before they let their property, where no third party funding is available.</p><p> </p><p>Different parts of the UK have taken different approaches, reflecting the devolved nature of energy efficiency policy. In Scotland, for instance, zero interest loans are available to homeowners for energy efficiency improvements as well as equity loans where interest is repaid on sale of the property.</p><p> </p><p>In other EU countries a range of approaches have been taken to support home energy efficiency improvements. These include low and zero interest loans, mortgage incentives, capital subsidies, tax credits and reduced VAT on the installation of energy efficiency measures. We are always looking to learn from international experience in developing policies which are right for the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Given the importance of low cost financing, our Call for Evidence on Building a Market for Energy Efficiency sought evidence on different ways of financing energy efficiency, and other fiscal incentives. Different approaches will be appropriate for different consumer groups and tenure types and there is no one size fits all approach. We are currently analysing responses to this.</p><p> </p><p>Financing these improvements presents real opportunities for green finance innovation, for example around green mortgage products or green bonds. The UK’s first ever Green Finance Strategy will also be published in the summer. This strategy will build on the recommendations of the Green Finance Taskforce report: Accelerating Green Finance and will set out the steps required to attract the investment we need into our clean economy, including around financing residential energy efficiency.</p><p> </p><p>We will set out further details on how we will catalyse the market for energy efficiency later in the year and stimulate the required investment. This will take account of responses to our Call for Evidence alongside recommendations from the National Infrastructure Commission, and Committee on Climate Change.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 245866 245869 245876 245878 245879 245881 245882 question first answered 01/05/2019 16:06:56 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1121843

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Energy Performance Certificates
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the cost to the public purse of heat decarbonisation of the UK not reaching the target of all homes to at least Energy Performance Certificate Band C by 2035.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	245869
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2019 answer text <p>The Clean Growth Strategy set out our aspiration that as many homes as possible will be upgraded to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C by 2035, where practical, cost-effective and affordable. BEIS estimate that the total investment cost of meeting this aspiration is in the order of £35-65 billion (undiscounted), with the actual cost dependent on a range of factors including the technology mix used in particular properties.</p><p> </p><p>Further innovation in home energy efficiency measures could lead to cost reductions which reduce these estimates significantly. A key component of the Buildings Mission announced last year, is to halve the cost of retrofitting existing homes to a similar standard of new homes. We recently approved a £10 million innovation project for whole house retrofit, to demonstrate a cost reduction trajectory through retrofitting similar properties at scale.</p><p> </p><p>Improving the energy efficiency of our homes reduces the overall energy system costs of heat decarbonisation. The level of additional energy efficiency required is dependent on the heat decarbonisation scenario.</p><p> </p><p>Given the scale of investment required, financing these improvements will require funding from both public and private sources. In the Clean Growth Strategy, we committed to extend support for home energy efficiency improvements to 2028 at least at current levels of support through the Energy Company Obligation. This is equivalent to around £6 billion of investment. Additional investment in cost-effective energy efficiency measures will be needed from private sources, including owner occupiers, social landlords and private landlords. For example, landlords of the worst performing properties are already required to invest up to £3500 in improving their homes to a minimum EPC Band E before they let their property, where no third party funding is available.</p><p> </p><p>Different parts of the UK have taken different approaches, reflecting the devolved nature of energy efficiency policy. In Scotland, for instance, zero interest loans are available to homeowners for energy efficiency improvements as well as equity loans where interest is repaid on sale of the property.</p><p> </p><p>In other EU countries a range of approaches have been taken to support home energy efficiency improvements. These include low and zero interest loans, mortgage incentives, capital subsidies, tax credits and reduced VAT on the installation of energy efficiency measures. We are always looking to learn from international experience in developing policies which are right for the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Given the importance of low cost financing, our Call for Evidence on Building a Market for Energy Efficiency sought evidence on different ways of financing energy efficiency, and other fiscal incentives. Different approaches will be appropriate for different consumer groups and tenure types and there is no one size fits all approach. We are currently analysing responses to this.</p><p> </p><p>Financing these improvements presents real opportunities for green finance innovation, for example around green mortgage products or green bonds. The UK’s first ever Green Finance Strategy will also be published in the summer. This strategy will build on the recommendations of the Green Finance Taskforce report: Accelerating Green Finance and will set out the steps required to attract the investment we need into our clean economy, including around financing residential energy efficiency.</p><p> </p><p>We will set out further details on how we will catalyse the market for energy efficiency later in the year and stimulate the required investment. This will take account of responses to our Call for Evidence alongside recommendations from the National Infrastructure Commission, and Committee on Climate Change.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 245866 245868 245876 245878 245879 245881 245882 question first answered 01/05/2019 16:06:56 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1121846

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Energy: Conservation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the role of energy efficiency in reducing the gap in the fourth and fifth carbon budgets; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	245870
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2019 answer text <p>Energy efficiency has an important role to play in meeting our future carbon budgets.</p><p> </p><p>For businesses we have set out our ambition to enable business consumers to reduce their energy usage by improving energy efficiency by at least 20% by 2030, potentially reducing carbon emissions by 22MtCO2e over the fifth Carbon Budget and saving billions of pounds through reduced energy costs.</p><p> </p><p>We are undertaking a range of measures to deliver this, including developing a long-term trajectory for improving the energy performance of non-domestic privately rented buildings, with a consultation due in 2019 and consulting on a new energy efficiency scheme for small and medium sized enterprises. We have committed to improve industrial energy efficiency, including through a £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund. In addition, we have put in place a range of ambitious measures to drive improved energy efficiency across the public sector.</p><p> </p><p>For our homes, we have set an ambition for as many homes as possible to reach EPC Band C by 2035, and for all fuel poor homes to reach this standard by 2030, so far as reasonably practicable. We have also announced our Buildings Mission to halve the energy use of all new builds by 2030 and halve the cost of retrofitting existing buildings to a similar standard. This is supported by £170 Transforming Construction programme, matched by £250 million from industry, and by the recently announced Future Homes Standard, which will mean new build homes are future-proofed with low carbon heating and world leading levels of energy efficiency.</p><p> </p><p>This builds on a range of wider policy, including our commitment to extend support for home energy efficiency out to 2028 at least at the level of the current Energy Company Obligation (£640m per year) and the minimum energy efficiency standards we have introduced to ensure that privately rented homes cannot be let from April 2018 if they are below an EPC Band E.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 01/05/2019 16:07:21 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown