Written questions by Fleet.

What grants are available to help low income families living in houses of solid wall construction, such as former colliery-built houses, increase their homes' energy efficiency.

Through the Warm Homes Plan, around ?4.4 billion of grant funding is allocated up to 2030 for low-income and fuel poor households to install solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation. The Warm Homes: Local Grant delivers upgrades via local authorities to privately owned or rented properties in England with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) below D, and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund delivers grants for inefficient properties via social housing providers. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) also provides grants of up to ?7,500 towards installation of an air or ground source heat pump and is open to all eligible households in England and Wales. Funding will increase each year out to 2030, totalling around ?2.7 billion over the period.

What estimate he has made of the number of customers who have been overcharged for their energy use due to smart meter errors in each of the last three years.

Accuracy levels for both smart and analogue meters must comply with the Measuring Instruments Regulations (SI 2016/1153). Consumers have the right to have their meter independently tested if they dispute its accuracy. The Department does not hold data on the number of customers who have been overcharged due to meter errors. More broadly, customers with analogue meters are almost three times more likely to complain about billing errors than customers with smart meters.

What discussions he has had with the trustees of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme about protecting members' bonus pensions by removing standstill from the MPS Rules.

I am meeting the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme Trustees in early February to discuss potential changes to the scheme, including standstill.

What recent discussions his Department has had with the trustees of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme on the transfer of its investment reserve to members.

The previous Minister of State for Industry met the BCSSS Trustees on 22 April, 11 June and 22 July and confirmed the Government’s commitment to considering their proposals regarding the reserve and the future of the scheme. DESNZ will now engage HM Treasury with a view to agreeing a way forward on the transfer of the reserve to members. The Government is aiming to reach agreement on an outcome that can be implemented later this year which will benefit scheme members.