Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Fuel Poverty

Tuesday 27 February 2024 · 9 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 9 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Fuel poverty affects 3.17 million UK households as of winter 2023.
  • The Great British insulation scheme has committed 592 million to energy efficiency.
  • Government spending includes 6 billion for making buildings cleaner and warmer.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Afzal Khan Lab Manchester Rusholme
Housing Energy
Context

The question follows a recent report indicating rising fuel poverty. The previous year saw over 3 million households in fuel poverty.

Question

What estimate has been made of the number of households in fuel poverty in winter 2023-24?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

Fuel poverty is a devolved matter. The latest figures, published on 15 February 2024, showed that 3.17 million households were in fuel poverty in 2023. The Government continue to deliver financial support to low-income homes and vulnerable households through the warm home discount scheme and cost of living payments.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide an estimate for winter 2023-24 as requested, only figures from a previous period.

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Q2 Kate Hollern Lab
Energy Environment
Context

The Government's energy efficiency policy has not met its targets, with only 3,000 homes insulated in eight months and just 137 in South Yorkshire.

Question

The cost of living crisis affects constituents; the Great British insulation scheme aims to insulate 100,000 homes annually but only 3,000 have been helped. Will the Minister explain why it will take 60 years to meet their three-year target?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

Energy efficiency is incredibly important to this Government and we have many schemes available. The Great British insulation scheme alone has committed £592 million.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not address the slow progress of the scheme or why it will take 60 years to meet targets.

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Q3 Paul Blomfield Lab
Energy Environment
Context

The Great British insulation scheme, following previous failures like the green deal and green homes grant, has only insulated 137 of South Yorkshire's 1.4 million residents' homes.

Question

With just 137 homes upgraded in South Yorkshire under GBIS and constituents wanting bills cut, emissions reduced, and homes insulated, when will the Minister get a grip?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

We are spending £6 billion in this Parliament and a further £6 billion up to 2028 to make buildings, including private rented properties, cleaner and warmer. That is in addition to the estimated £5 billion that will be delivered for ECO4—the energy company obligation—and the Great British insulation scheme up to March 2026.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not address why progress was slow or specific actions planned, only future spending commitments.

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Q4 Marion Fellows SNP
Housing Energy
Context

Constituents in Motherwell and Wishaw face dire fuel poverty, with national estimates showing 6 million households in fuel poverty post-price cap.

Question

With National Energy Action estimating that there will be 6 million UK households in fuel poverty, when will the Government take meaningful action on an energy social tariff?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

Last winter, this Government delivered £40 billion for households and businesses. We also have the warm home discount, the winter fuel payment and the disability cost of living payment. We are committed to ensuring that affordability is top of our list in relation to energy security.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide a timeline or commitment for an energy social tariff consultation.

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Q5 Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett
Energy Environment
Context

Previous energy saving schemes have been failures, with just seven homes upgraded in Gateshead under the current scheme.

Question

With 14 years of failed energy saving schemes, can the Minister explain why progress is so slow?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

We continue to drive energy efficiency improvements for lower-income and fuel-poor households, through schemes including the energy company obligation, the social housing decarbonisation scheme and the homes upgrade grant.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not address why progress was slow or specific steps taken to improve it.

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Q6 Afzal Khan Lab Manchester Rusholme
Energy
Context

A report by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit highlights low installation rates under current government programmes.

Question

The Government's false claims about their success in energy efficiency mostly involved taking credit for legacy Labour schemes; can the Minister explain why this is a disaster?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

This Government have provided unprecedented support for people in this country. I have regular meetings with stakeholders, charities and different organisations. Undoubtedly, we are making sure that people have support through, as I have mentioned, the warm home discount, the energy price cap and lots of other payments, such as the cost of living payment of £900 per annum.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not address why the record on insulation is a failure or specific measures to improve it.

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Q7 Andrea Jenkyns Con
Economy Climate
Context

The boiler tax adds an extra £150 to the cost when a new boiler is purchased.

Question

Does the Minister agree that it is time to ditch unworkable and unaffordable net zero policies?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

No decision has yet been taken on that, but we have a commitment to ensure that we get the very best deal for all our constituents.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide an explicit agreement or disagreement on discarding net zero policies.

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Q8 Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East
Energy
Context

A year ago, the Energy Secretary committed to compensate customers if suppliers had wrongly installed prepayment meters.

Question

How many individuals who had a prepayment meter wrongly installed have had compensation and when will those still waiting receive it?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

One thing on which we can all agree across the House is that it was absolutely abhorrent that people had prepayment meters forced on them. We are working our way through the compensation, but I can assure Members that we are doing everything we can to ensure that, when prepayment meters are installed, we are doing exactly the right thing to make sure that everybody is kept safe.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide specific numbers or a timeline for compensation.

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Q9 Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East
Housing Energy
Context

Over 3 million households are in arrears with energy suppliers, and nearly 10 million homes suffer from poor insulation. The Great British Insulation Scheme is experiencing issues.

Question

More than 3 million households are in debt to their energy suppliers and almost 10 million households are living in cold, damp and poorly insulated homes. The Great British insulation scheme is proving to be a great Tory insulation fiasco. Will the Minister tell me why the insulation scheme is proving to be such a disaster?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

We have taken great steps to support people. For example, last winter we gave unprecedented support to households and businesses. Of course, debt is a major concern, and I have regular meetings with stakeholders to ensure that we are doing the very best not only to get people out of debt, but to prevent them getting into debt in the first place.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Why the insulation scheme is failing

How: Regular Meetings With Stakeholders

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