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1582782

	registered interest
	date	01/02/2023
	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: Meters
	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 31 January 2023 to Question 130102 on Energy: Meters, if he will make it his policy to set reduction targets on forced prepayment meter installations.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Dan Carden
	uin	137977
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2023 answer text <p>Discussions with stakeholders regarding forced prepayment meter installations are ongoing.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 06/02/2023 15:39:05 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
	tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden

1582236

	registered interest
	date	31/01/2023
	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: Meters
	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 his Department has made of the effectiveness of regulations on the circumstances in which energy suppliers can force customers to use prepayment meters.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	136487
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2023 answer text <p>Ofgem restricts the force-fitting of a prepayment meter on customers who are in debt, except as a last resort. When installing a PPM, suppliers must consider whether this is safe and practicable, including whether a PPM is appropriate for the customer, before remotely switching or installing a PPM under warrant.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has set out its 5-point plan regarding PPM and Ministers will keep the House updated on its progress. Ofgem has launched a new PPM investigation, in response to the plan. I have spoken to Ofgem to discuss the specific case of British Gas.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 06/02/2023 10:19:13 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1582237

	registered interest
	date	31/01/2023
	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: Meters
	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 steps his Department is taking with Ofgem to ensure energy suppliers adhere to existing rules on prepayment meters.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
	tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
	uin	136488
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2023 answer text <p>Ofgem has stringent rules on the force-fitting of prepayment meters and is responsible for ensuring licensed energy suppliers comply with those rules. Ofgem publishes details of its compliance and enforcement action on its website at: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ofgem.gov.uk%2Fenergy-policy-and-regulation%2Fcompliance-and-enforcement&amp;data=05%7C01%7CParliamentary.PQ%40BEIS.gov.uk%7C4cc1c7118c014386772208db0766fe4e%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638111911145518250%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=y7V1Hupe0VSvreUSNGZ4T3Edcb6Y7lmVosiaGYACBZA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-policy-and-regulation/compliance-and-enforcement</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has set out its 5-point plan regarding prepayment meters and Ministers will keep the House updated on its progress. Ofgem has launched a new prepayment meter investigation, in response to the 5-point plan. I have spoken to Ofgem to discuss the specific case of British Gas.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 06/02/2023 10:20:39 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
	tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1581657

	registered interest
	date	30/01/2023
	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: Meters
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 30 January (HL4760), what assessment they have made of the case for restricting the imposition of prepayment meters on energy consumers.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
	uin	HL5194
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2023 answer text <p>Prepayment meters allow customers to control and budget for the amount they spend on energy and help to mitigate the risk of going into or exacerbating existing debt. A restriction on installation of prepayment meters as a last resort would leave court enforcement as the only recourse in cases of non-payment and large debt. Ofgem has stringent rules on force-fitting prepayment meters. The Government has no plans to restrict this option.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 08/02/2023 13:55:22 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
	tabling member	4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

1581468

	registered interest
	date	27/01/2023
	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: Meters
	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 effectiveness of (a) legislation and (b) regulatory guidance on the forcible installation of prepayment meters by energy suppliers; and whether his Department is taking steps to help tackle the forcible installation of prepayment meters.
	tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
	tabling member printed	Andy Slaughter
	uin	133943
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2023 answer text <p>Prepayment meters (PPMs) allow customers to pay for energy on a pay-as-you-go basis and serve an important function by helping the avoidance of debt and court action.</p><p> </p><p>Ofgem has stringent rules on the force-fitting of PPMs and has recently published a letter where it outlines steps it will be taking on tackling inappropriate supplier PPM practises including making sure suppliers are complying with those rules, which can be found here: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ofgem.gov.uk%2Fpublications%2Fletter-jonathan-brearley-secretary-state-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-tackling-inappropriate-energy-supplier-prepayment-meter-practices&amp;data=05%7C01%7CParliamentary.PQ%40BEIS.gov.uk%7Cf58398fa7e924383426108db0395870c%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638107712962750167%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=IPNcyCTlVww21gg3iSAj%2B1Kbcgq%2BrGSywDYblNiuv9I%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/letter-jonathan-brearley-secretary-state-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-tackling-inappropriate-energy-supplier-prepayment-meter-practices</a>.</p><p> </p><p>My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has also asked energy suppliers to commit voluntarily to stop this practice.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 01/02/2023 08:31:36 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
	tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter

1581158

	registered interest
	date	26/01/2023
	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: Meters
	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 properties (a) Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency, (b) Wales and (c) the UK that are unable to have an energy smart meter installed.
	tabling member constituency	Preseli Pembrokeshire
	tabling member printed	Stephen Crabb
	uin	133560
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2023 answer text <p>The Government wants as many households and small businesses as possible to benefit from smart metering, and millions of consumers across Great Britain, in different types of geographies, are already realising these benefits.</p><p> </p><p>The Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates the national communications infrastructure for smart metering, is obligated under its licence to provide communications coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain. The Government holds this data at a Great Britain level and is not able to disaggregate at constituency or individual nation level.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the DCC is also required to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage where it is practicable and cost proportionate.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart grouped question UIN 133559 133562 question first answered 03/02/2023 11:13:19 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
	tabling member	1554 label Biography information for Stephen Crabb

1581159

	registered interest
	date	26/01/2023
	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: Meters
	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 steps he is taking to ensure that households unable to get energy smart meters are not (a) disadvantaged or (b) prevented from achieving the best energy rates when seeking the services of an energy provider.
	tabling member constituency	Preseli Pembrokeshire
	tabling member printed	Stephen Crabb
	uin	133561
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2023 answer text <p>The Government wants households and small businesses to benefit from smart metering as soon as possible. The vast majority of consumers can now have a smart meter. The rollout is making good progress, with 54% of gas and electricity meters across Great Britain now smart. The Government has introduced minimum annual installation targets for energy suppliers.</p><p> </p><p>The Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates the national communications infrastructure for smart metering, is obligated under its licence to provide communications coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain. In addition, the DCC is also required to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage where it is practicable and cost proportionate.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 03/02/2023 11:14:37 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
	tabling member	1554 label Biography information for Stephen Crabb

1581160

	registered interest
	date	26/01/2023
	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: Meters
	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 is taking steps to make alternative measures available for rural households who are unable to have a Smart Meter.
	tabling member constituency	Preseli Pembrokeshire
	tabling member printed	Stephen Crabb
	uin	133562
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2023 answer text <p>The Government wants as many households and small businesses as possible to benefit from smart metering, and millions of consumers across Great Britain, in different types of geographies, are already realising these benefits.</p><p> </p><p>The Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates the national communications infrastructure for smart metering, is obligated under its licence to provide communications coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain. The Government holds this data at a Great Britain level and is not able to disaggregate at constituency or individual nation level.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the DCC is also required to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage where it is practicable and cost proportionate.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart grouped question UIN 133559 133560 question first answered 03/02/2023 11:13:19 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
	tabling member	1554 label Biography information for Stephen Crabb

1581191

	registered interest
	date	26/01/2023
	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: Meters
	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 energy firms are required to carry out equality impact assessments before forcibly installing prepayment meters.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
	tabling member printed	Anne McLaughlin
	uin	133618
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2023 answer text <p>Equality impact assessments are generally required when a new or revised policy or practice is being considered. The installation of prepayment meters is a long-standing practice dating back several decades and undertaken by privately-owned supply businesses. However, suppliers are required by Ofgem to assess whether installing a prepayment meter, including force-fitting one on customers in arrears as a last resort, is safe and practicable for the customer. This assessment should include identifying any vulnerability.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 02/02/2023 14:32:53 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
	tabling member	4437 label Biography information for Anne McLaughlin

1581225

	registered interest
	date	26/01/2023
	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: Meters
	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 it his policy to ban the forcible installation of prepayment meters.
	tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
	tabling member printed	Andy Slaughter
	uin	133567
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2023 answer text <p>Prepayment meters (PPMs) allow customers to pay for energy on a pay-as-you-go basis and serve an important function by helping the avoidance of debt and court action. A ban on PPM installation as a last resort could lead to an increase in bailiff action and physical disconnections. The Government has no plans to remove this option.</p><p> </p><p>Ofgem has stringent rules on the force-fitting of PPMs. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has written to Ofgem asking them to conduct a review to make sure energy suppliers are complying with those rules. He has also asked suppliers to commit voluntarily to stop this practice.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 31/01/2023 14:19:01 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
	tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter