Speeches by Young.

“That is helpful. You suggested that you are not sure how it will contribute to greater balancing flexibility in the grid more widely, in answer to the Chair’s question. You do not think that it will necessarily reduce grid pressure and the need for network investments if P441 comes in. That is not your expectation.”

“I have one overall question now. There is this 8 GW target. That is for community and local energy and we have heard how they are different. Is it more about getting the locally-led and trying to get the benefits that that brings, potentially, to reduce costs in transmission and investments? Is it about getting the com…”

“What more do you think can be done to roll out that community-led local balancing and local flexibility more widely? You have just said that you will only really see the benefit when you have a significant amount on the system”

“It is irrelevant.”

“That is helpful. You suggested that you are not sure how it will contribute to greater balancing flexibility in the grid more widely, in answer to the Chair’s question. You do not think that it will necessarily reduce grid pressure and the need for network investments if P441 comes in. That is not your expectation.”

“Continuing on this P441 theme, you said that it provides a catch-all and simplifies things. Also, we were hearing earlier about definitions and the importance of definitions if you are going to prioritise something or give beneficial treatment to something. Is there a conflict there?”

“Marzia, do you have any comments about how it might contribute to reducing grid pressure and network investments?”

“Stepping back from P441 for a moment, but staying with you, Marzia, we have heard previously on the issue of consumer-led flexibility that it would reduce bills overall. All of our constituents, whatever they think about any of the rest of this stuff to do with energy, want to see their bills cut. Do you think that loc…”

“Marzia, do you have any comments about how it might contribute to reducing grid pressure and network investments?”

“You are saying that it is all back on DESNZ.”

“When I visited The Play Shed in Yate last year, the reduction in retail, hospitality and leisure relief was already costing it £12,000, even before the more recent changes. This package is welcome for pubs and music venues, but what will the Government do to help other leisure businesses in my constituency that are str…”

“My constituents trapped in fleecehold schemes—freeholders on privately managed estates—will still be exposed to escalating, unregulated service charges and have no way of ensuring that the work they are paying for is actually done. The Minister has talked about the consultation and promised that help is on the way, but…”

“In their response to the report, the Government said that in the clean flexibility road map, they have committed “to develop measures focussed on barriers to the participation of low-income and vulnerable consumers in using energy flexibly.” Given what we heard yesterday about the importance of heat pumps and heat stor…”

“When I make inquiries on behalf of constituents about delays at the Child Maintenance Service, I, too, often face a long wait—a wait for a response—despite chasing. The longest delay is currently four months and 20 days. Will the Leader of the House allow a debate in Government time on this issue, so the Secretary of S…”

“It was said earlier that we need to focus on the big contributors to flexibility, with EVs being one of them. At the moment, is there a noticeable impact of EVs on demand flexibility and reducing peak demand and system costs?”

“Given we have the new mileage charge coming, but we also have grants to encourage electric vehicles, do you think the Government are sending mixed signals on EV adoption? Does that have consequences for flexibility?”

“You say you are quite relaxed about EVs. Do you see heat pumps and the heat storage that you were talking about earlier as far more important?”

“Can I start with Alastair for this one? What scope is left to remove market access barriers to flexibility?”

“Can I start with Alastair for this one? What scope is left to remove market access barriers to flexibility?”

“How significantly could bills be lowered if the NESO reduced skip rates?”