Written questions by Snell.

What steps he is taking to ensure that small businesses have access to affordable legal recourse in disputes with energy suppliers.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment he has made of the prevalence of energy suppliers unilaterally changing payment terms for business customers.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of differences in business energy costs between the different nations and regions of the UK.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps he is taking to support businesses in rural areas that are off the gas grid and reliant on heating oil or Liquefied Petroleum Gas.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What plans he has to support the commercialisation of small modular reactors (SMRs) to provide dedicated power to industrial clusters.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment he has made of the potential effectiveness of long-duration energy storage in providing price stability for industrial users.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps he is taking to encourage businesses to participate in Demand Side Response schemes.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps his Department is taking to support businesses in piloting industrial-scale hydrogen fuel switching.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy costs on the viability of the data centre industry.

The Government recognises that UK electricity prices and grid connection delays are barriers to investment. The only sustainable way to reduce electricity bills is by reducing the UK’s exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets, which is why industrial energy affordability is aligned with the Clean Power 2030 mission. For data centres, the Department for Business and Trade will consult on options to support electricity costs for projects in AI Growth Zones that reduce overall system costs, including in Scotland, Cumbria and the North East. For large projects, this could reduce operating costs and help to cut bills for consumers.

What steps he is taking to support the commercial laundry sector with levels of thermal energy required for its operations.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps he is taking to improve transparency in the wholesale energy costs passed on to commercial tenants.

Energy re-sold to non-domestic tenants is a commercial matter between those two businesses dependent on their contract terms. Landlords in these situations have a legal duty to regularly inform their tenants of how much energy they have used and the price they have been charged for that energy.

Whether he plans to introduce a statutory Business Energy Consumer Code.

Ofgem is the independent regulator for gas and electricity markets in Great Britain. Ofgem’s regulatory regime sets out the requirements which non-domestic energy suppliers are required to adhere to. This includes a requirement that non-domestic consumers are treated fairly and set standards around billing and customer protection. These are further underpinned by the Retail Energy Code, which licenced suppliers are required to comply with. In addition, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ofgem’s interim CEO recently wrote to non-domestic suppliers and energy third party intermediaries to set out their expectations as to how non-domestic customers should be supported during this period of price volatility.

What steps he is taking to help prevent energy brokers from charging excessive hidden commissions to business clients.

Since 2024, Ofgem’s requirement for a contract’s principal terms to clearly display any broker fees has applied to all non-domestic consumers. However, the Government is aware that some rogue brokers continue to exploit consumers through excessive hidden commissions and other predatory sales tactics. That is why the Government plans to stamp out this exploitative behaviour, by appointing Ofgem to directly regulate Third-Party Intermediaries (TPI), including energy brokers, when parliamentary time allows.

What steps he is taking to encourage more competition in the commercial energy supply market.

We are building on the outcomes of Ofgem’s 2024 report into the non-domestic market, and subsequent actions to improve practices: Non-domestic market review: decision | Ofgem The Government and Ofgem continuously monitor the non-domestic energy market to ensure that there is a competitive market that is able to drive good outcomes for all consumers. The Government also plans to directly regulate Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), by appointing Ofgem as the regulator when parliamentary time allows. A regulated TPI market will drive pro-consumer competition between energy brokers and deliver better outcomes for energy consumers.

What recent discussions he has had with the Energy Ombudsman regarding the volume of business energy complaints.

The Secretary of State meets regularly with a wide range of stakeholders, where they discuss a variety of issues. Small businesses have been able to access the Energy Ombudsman since December 2024. Ofgem’s Complaints Handling Standards require energy suppliers to have suitable complaints processes for small business consumers and to signpost the Energy Ombudsman when matters have not been resolved. To further ensure that consumers are protected when things go wrong, we are proposing to strengthen the position of the Energy Ombudsman. This will allow consumers to have access to fairer and faster redress and will ensure that decisions made by the Ombudsman are implemented on time and in full.

What steps his Department is taking to help protect small businesses from aggressive debt recovery practices by energy suppliers.

The government’s primary focus is on ensuring energy is affordable for all businesses, and that the right protections are in place for them in the energy market. Suppliers and their representatives must follow strict rules regarding debt recovery practices and meet expectations to treat their customers fairly, as per Ofgem’s supplier licence conditions. In 2023, Ofgem reaffirmed their expectations in a letter to all suppliers on the treatment of non-domestic customers during debt management and disconnection.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Microbusiness Protection Rules implemented by Ofgem.

Consumer protection rules are a matter for Ofgem, as the independent regulator. The Department continues to work closely with them to take forward the recommendations from the 2024 Non-Domestic Market Review, such as expanding access to the Energy Ombudsman and the development of a new regulatory regime for Third Party Intermediaries, such as energy brokers. As part of its Consumer Confidence programme, Ofgem has developed consumer outcomes for all consumers, both domestic and non-domestic. These clarify the consumer outcomes Ofgem wants the sector to deliver and how they will be embedded into its regulatory framework.

What assessment he has made of the prevalence of deemed rates being charged to businesses without fixed-term energy contracts.

Ofgem data, as of 31 March, shows that around 10–12% of businesses are on deemed contracts: Managing business energy costs in an uncertain market | Ofgem. Under Ofgem’s regulations suppliers must take all reasonable steps to ensure the terms of deemed contracts are not “unduly onerous”, including where revenue derived from deemed contracts significantly exceeds the supplier’s costs. The Government is working closely with Ofgem on reforms to strengthen protections and transparency in the non-domestic energy market, including the role of intermediaries. Businesses should check contract end dates, discuss renewal terms early, and compare offers to avoid being placed on out-of-contract rates, and secure good value contracts.

What recent discussions he has had with Ofgem regarding the regulation of the non-domestic energy market.

The Government and Ofgem continuously monitor the non-domestic energy market to ensure that good outcomes are being delivered for all consumers. Recently, the Secretary of State and Ofgem’s Interim CEO wrote to non-domestic supplires and Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs) to set out their expectations on how consumers should be supported during the current energy price volatility. The Government and Ofgem have collaborated to deliver a range of interventions in response to the findings of Ofgem’s non-domestic market review and the Government plans to directly regulate TPIs, by appointing Ofgem as regulator when parliamentary time allows. This will protect non-domestic consumers from exploitative and harmful practices employed by some TPIs.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the application process for energy efficiency grants.

The Department is improving the application process for energy efficiency grants by simplifying access and providing clearer guidance across schemes. Under the Government’s £15 billion Warm Homes Plan, we are streamlining delivery of the Warm Homes: Local Grant and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, including plans to integrate low‑income schemes into a single capital offer, reducing complexity for applicants. For owner‑occupiers, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides upfront capital grant funding to reduce the cost of installing low‑carbon heating systems, and is administered by Ofgem through an installer‑led application process designed to minimise administrative burden for households. The Department has launched the ‘Find ways to save energy in your home’ service, providing impartial, tailored advice and information on government energy efficiency schemes through an easy to use online platform.