Written questions by Blundell.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of enabling small businesses to renegotiate and exit fixed-term commercial energy contracts agreed during periods of peak wholesale prices.

Awaiting answer.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of rising standing charges on (a) independent pubs and (b) other low-consumption hospitality venues; and what steps he is taking to ensure that fixed network costs do not disproportionately affect small businesses with seasonal and variable energy use.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the regulatory framework governing the non-domestic energy market; and whether he plans to extend the powers of Ofgem to provide additional protections for SMEs.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to reform the National Energy Security Operator.

On 1 October 2024, the Secretary of State established the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to support the energy transition including a more strategically planned approach to the energy system. NESO, a public corporation, was designed to operate independently of commercial energy interests and day-to-day Government control.NESO is an expert adviser to Government and Ofgem and a partner in delivering the UK’s energy ambitions. Ofgem regulates NESO, approves its business plan and monitors value for money and performance. Since its establishment just over a year ago, the Government has been working closely and constructively with NESO and there are no plans to reform NESO

What steps his Department is taking to make heat pumps more (a) accessible and (b) cost effective to lower income households.

The Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes that are fit for the future. The Government is taking steps to make heat pumps more efficient and easier to install, ensuring more households can install a heat pump and benefit from cleaner, more efficient heating. As well as increasing funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to £295 million next financial year, we are removing outdated planning rules and consulting on product efficiency standards. Further details on the Warm Homes Plan will be set out in due course.

What steps his Department has taken to (a) communicate how his Department's policies will help to lower energy bills in 2025 and (b) maintain the level of energy bills during fluctuations in the energy market.

Energy bills remain high for too many households. The government’s clean energy mission is the only route to protecting billpayers from the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets in the long-term, which is why we are sprinting to clean, homegrown energy through the Clean Power Action Plan. We have also taken urgent action to improve energy efficiency in British homes and protect households’ energy bills. On 21 November 2024, we announced how our Warm Homes Plan will support households to take up measures that can help save money on their bills and deliver cleaner heating, with up to 300,000 homes to benefit from upgrades in the next financial year. We also announced proposals on 7 February 2025 for private landlords to meet higher energy performance standards in their properties by 2030, which could save private renters £240 per year off their energy bills. These policies have been communicated across media and digital channels, including ministerial media interviews, GOV.UK publications, graphics and videos on social media. They have been further amplified through work with our partners to reach wider audiences who follow their channels. This is alongside our support for the ‘Speak, Seek, Save’ campaign run by Citizens Advice, providing advice to consumers on how to save energy and reduce their bills, which includes publishing and amplifying content on social media.