Written questions by Braverman.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rising heating oil prices on low‑income households in semi‑rural areas; and what steps she plans to take to help ensure these households are not disadvantaged compared with mains‑connected customers.

The Government recognises that families and businesses across the country will see the recent global events and once again be concerned about the impact on their energy bills. The Government will continue to monitor the situation closely over coming days and weeks. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Chancellor has announced £53m for low income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices. This funding will be available to the Northern Ireland Executive, Wales, and Scotland. This funding is allocated as part of the Crisis Resilience fund and will be distributed by local authorities. Local Authorities have responsibility for distributing funds to households. More information can be found here: Over £50 million to help families struggling with soaring heating oil costs - GOV.UK Households using heating oil also benefit from wider cost‑of‑living support, including electricity bill reductions announced in the Autumn Budget, and the Warm Home Discount, which provides eligible households with £150 off energy bills annually until 2030/31.

Whether he has had discussions with OFGEM regarding the potential impact of its guidance on the pricing practices of energy suppliers towards small businesses.

Licence conditions and compliance and enforcement matters, for both domestic and non-domestic customers, are a matter for Ofgem as the sector regulator. The Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts, and more redress when they have a complaint. That’s why the Government has decided to regulate Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This will improve consumer outcomes and enhance consumer protections for non-domestic consumers, particularly charities and small businesses. Regulation will be introduced once parliamentary time allows. Since December 2024, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees have been able to access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. This means that 99% of British businesses can now access this service with outcomes ranging up to £20,000 in financial awards. We consulted in late 2025 on measures to strengthen the Ombudsman’s tools for ensuring suppliers implement decisions in a timely manner.

How OFGEM monitors the adequacy of the energy market for small businesses; and what enforcement action has been taken in the last three years against suppliers found to be overcharging small business customers.

Licence conditions and compliance and enforcement matters, for both domestic and non-domestic customers, are a matter for Ofgem as the sector regulator. The Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts, and more redress when they have a complaint. That’s why the Government has decided to regulate Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This will improve consumer outcomes and enhance consumer protections for non-domestic consumers, particularly charities and small businesses. Regulation will be introduced once parliamentary time allows. Since December 2024, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees have been able to access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. This means that 99% of British businesses can now access this service with outcomes ranging up to £20,000 in financial awards. We consulted in late 2025 on measures to strengthen the Ombudsman’s tools for ensuring suppliers implement decisions in a timely manner.

Whether he plans to review the regulatory framework governing the energy supply to small businesses; and what steps he is taking to ensure that it reflects the practical needs and vulnerabilities of small enterprises.

Licence conditions and compliance and enforcement matters, for both domestic and non-domestic customers, are a matter for Ofgem as the sector regulator. The Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts, and more redress when they have a complaint. That’s why the Government has decided to regulate Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This will improve consumer outcomes and enhance consumer protections for non-domestic consumers, particularly charities and small businesses. Regulation will be introduced once parliamentary time allows. Since December 2024, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees have been able to access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. This means that 99% of British businesses can now access this service with outcomes ranging up to £20,000 in financial awards. We consulted in late 2025 on measures to strengthen the Ombudsman’s tools for ensuring suppliers implement decisions in a timely manner.

What assessment he has made of the effect on employment in the home‑insulation and retrofit sector of the decision to end the Energy Company Obligation scheme before publishing details of its replacement.

The government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. We will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, in particular the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, we will use the procurement regime for all new funding to support the retrofit workforce affected by the closure of ECO, working closely with the retrofit supply chain, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are also working with the Department for Business and Trade on support that can be provided to employees and companies in the construction sector during this time.

What the £1.5 billion transition fund announced for the period between ECO and its successor scheme will cover; and when guidance for businesses on accessing this funding will be published.

The £1.5 billion extra funding allocated to the Warm Homes Plan at the Budget will be spent on low-income households. This takes the total capital investment in the Warm Homes Plan to £15 billion – the largest ever public investment in home upgrades. This comes on top of the measures announced at the Budget, which took an average of £150 of costs off energy bills from April 2026. From 2025-28, funding for low-income home upgrades will be delivered through the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and the Warm Homes: Local Grant as previously announced, to help millions of households benefit from solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation that can save a typical household £550 a year compared to a gas boiler – reducing our exposure to the volatile international fossil fuel markets which have driven the cost-of-living crisis.

What steps he is taking to ensure continuity of work for companies delivering insulation, heating upgrades, and other energy‑efficiency measures during the transition from the Energy Company Obligation to the Warm Homes Plan.

The government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. We will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, in particular the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, we will use the procurement regime for all new funding to support the retrofit workforce affected by the closure of ECO, working closely with the retrofit supply chain, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are also working with the Department for Business and Trade on support that can be provided to employees and companies in the construction sector during this time.

Whether his Department has conducted an economic impact assessment of the transition period between the Energy Company Obligation and the Warm Homes Plan on small and medium‑sized enterprises in the home‑retrofit industry.

The government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. We will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, in particular the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, we will use the procurement regime for all new funding to support the retrofit workforce affected by the closure of ECO, working closely with the retrofit supply chain, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are also working with the Department for Business and Trade on support that can be provided to employees and companies in the construction sector during this time.

Whether his Department has met with representatives of the eco‑homes and retrofit sector to discuss the risk of redundancies arising from the time period between Energy Company Obligation and its successor scheme.

The government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. We will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, in particular the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, we will use the procurement regime for all new funding to support the retrofit workforce affected by the closure of ECO, working closely with the retrofit supply chain, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are also working with the Department for Business and Trade on support that can be provided to employees and companies in the construction sector during this time.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact on the Government’s net‑zero and home‑energy‑efficiency targets of delays in implementing the Warm Homes Plan.

Our landmark £15 billion Warm Homes Plan is already delivering on our commitment to lower energy bills and upgrade up to 5 million homes by 2030, as evidenced by BUS-supported heat pump installations rising 40% in the year to November 2025 compared with the previous year. We have also committed to other home upgrade targets such as raising minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector and deploying solar panels on the rooftops of up to 3 million more homes by 2030. The government is committed to its net zero targets, tackling fuel poverty, and strengthening our energy security.

If he will make an estimate of the number of jobs potentially at risk in the Energy Company Obligation supply chain as a result of the gap between the closure of ECO and the implementation of its successor scheme.

The government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. We will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, in particular the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, we will use the procurement regime for all new funding to support the retrofit workforce affected by the closure of ECO, working closely with the retrofit supply chain, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are also working with the Department for Business and Trade on support that can be provided to employees and companies in the construction sector during this time.

When he plans to publish full details of the Warm Homes Plan; and whether he has made an assessment of the effect of the delay on businesses operating in the energy‑efficiency and eco‑homes sector.

The Government published the Warm Homes Plan on 21 January 2026. The Warm Homes Plan will invest £15 billion, making it the biggest ever public investment to upgrade British homes and cut bills.We will help millions of households benefit from solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation that can save a typical household £550 a year compared to a gas boiler – reducing our exposure to the volatile international fossil fuel markets which have driven the cost-of-living crisis. This comes on top of the measures announced at the Budget, which took an average of £150 of costs off energy bills from April 2026. We will reach up to 5 million homes by 2030, tackle fuel poverty and create good jobs across the country. Our plan will unlock £38 billion in total investment across this Parliament, and with additional funding for skills, innovation and UK manufacturing, we will ensure that British workers and businesses reap the benefits.

Whether his Department plans to take steps to allow consumers to challenge the charges of a privately owned utility when no other utility services operate in their area.

Energy suppliers are bound by a universal service obligation under standard condition 22 of the gas and electricity Standard Licence Conditions. This means they are required to offer terms to any domestic consumer who asks, ensuring consumers have access to energy. For customers on a domestic contract, the mechanism for ensuring fair pricing is Ofgem’s Price Cap, which allows suppliers to recoup genuine costs with a small allowance for profits. For domestic customers who receive energy via non-domestic contracts, there is legislation which sets a maximum price that can be charged for electricity and gas which has already been bought from a licensed supplier.

What steps his Department plans to take to ensure that increased charges by utility providers are put towards maintaining (a) clean and (b) safe infrastructure for consumer services.

Ofgem review the price cap level every three months and ensure that it reflects wholesale prices as well as other costs incurred by suppliers. This includes network costs, for example the building, fixing and repair of pipes and wires to transport energy.

Whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on the potential national security risks of the AQUIND interconnector project.

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ministerial Colleagues on a number of issues.