Legislation will provide Ofgem regulatory powers to investigate and intervene on networks where prices for consumers appear to be disproportionate, if prices are significantly higher than those consumers would expect to pay if they were served by an alternative heating system.

All energy users are having to deal with rising energy costs, which have been caused by global factors. To help consumers, including those on heat networks, government have introduced support worth more than £9bn for vulnerable households, through initiatives such as the Energy Bill Rebate and the Household Support Fund adding to the help provided throughout winter 2021.

Any additional budget for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme beyond the presently committed £450m over three years will be a matter for a future fiscal event. However, we want as many people as possible who want to have a heat pump installed this year to be able to have one, so will continue to keep uptake of the scheme under review.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.

The government must meet the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which place a legal obligation on employers to provide a 'reasonable' temperature in the workplace. The current operational temperatures in open plan offices vary across government.

We are following, and closely monitoring, industry and HSE guidance in terms of the advantages and disadvantages of reducing the operational temperature setpoint by 2°C.

The Chancellor announced at Spring Statement 2022 that the VAT relief for the installation of energy saving materials (ESMs) will be expanded in Great Britain.

From 1 April 2022, complex eligibility conditions to access the relief have been removed and wind and water turbines have been reinstated as qualifying materials. Qualifying installations will also now benefit from a VAT zero-rate until April 2027. Overall, this represents an additional £280 million of support for investment in ESMs over the next 5 years.

This will support the uptake of products that are used to increase the energy efficiency and decarbonisation of residential accommodation. These improvements are key to reducing gas dependency and household bills and are also a vital part of the UK’s transition to Net Zero.

While infrared heat panels were not added to the list of materials which qualify for the relief, the Government keeps all taxes under review and continues to welcome representations on how the tax system can be improved.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that policy remains in step with the rapid pace of technological development in the ESMs market and the changing policy context since this particular relief was first introduced.

That said, requests for further changes should be viewed in the context of over £50 billion of requests for relief from VAT received since the EU referendum. Such costs would have to be balanced by increased taxes elsewhere, increased borrowing, or reductions in Government spending.

Most buildings in the UK rely solely on natural ventilation. Carbon emissions from heating and cooling is included in the UK greenhouse gas emissions national statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/provisional-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics-2021. The Government recently published a study on demand for cooling in UK buildings which is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cooling-in-the-uk.

Most buildings in the UK rely solely on natural ventilation. Carbon emissions from heating and cooling is included in the UK greenhouse gas emissions national statistics~: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/provisional-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics-2021. The Retrofit for the Future programme https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/retrofit-for-the-future-a-guide-to-making-retrofit-work compared natural ventilation with the use of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery when retrofitting buildings, but no comparative estimates of the carbon emissions was undertaken.

During working hours in winter, the main heating flow temperature supplied by the boilers in the Palace of Westminster is varied depending on the outside air temperature and so a definitive answer cannot be provided. Offices used by the House of Lords in Millbank House and Old Palace Yard are monitored and are heated to 21°C during working hours in winter

Reducing the temperature by 2°C across all offices would reduce the energy demand from space heating by approximately 15%. However, due consideration must be given to the outside air temperature, activities being carried out within the offices, and the individual circumstances of people within the offices. Reducing the temperature by 2°C may also encourage the use of portable electric heaters which use more energy.

The Government has committed to legislating within this parliament to regulate the district heating sector. In December 2021 the Government announced that Ofgem will take on the role of regulator for heat networks, which will give it new powers to regulate prices in this sector as a matter of priority. This will enable domestic heat network customers to receive equivalent protection to other energy customers as well as ensuring heat network operators are securing good deals for their consumers. This will mean that consumers are charged a fair rate for heating whilst encouraging investment in heat networks.

The price cap is a temporary measure until competition in the market improves and ensures domestic consumers on default tariffs pay a fair price for their energy. It is designed to tackle the loyalty penalty, where disengaged consumers are overcharged for their energy. It is not the objective of the price cap to incentivise choices in particular heating options.

The domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) has already been extended once and will now close on 31 March 2022. The legislation closing the RHI is now in force and there are no plans to repeal it. Heat pump installations that are not completed in time to apply to the RHI should be eligible for the grant scheme that is replacing the RHI, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, provided they meet the relevant eligibility criteria, and are commissioned on or after 1 April 2022.

The Chancellor announced at Spring Statement 2022 that the VAT relief for the installation of energy saving materials (ESMs) will be expanded in Great Britain.

From 1 April 2022, complex eligibility conditions to access the relief will be removed, and wind and water turbines will be reinstated as qualifying materials. Qualifying installations will also benefit from a VAT zero-rate until April 2027. Overall, this represents an additional £280 million of support for investment in ESMs over the next 5 years.

This will support the uptake of products that are used to increase the energy efficiency and decarbonisation of residential accommodation. These improvements are key to reducing gas dependency and household bills and are also a vital part of the UK’s transition to Net Zero.

Where the installation of new radiators and pipes are ancillary to the installation of a heat pump, these are eligible for the zero rate as part of a single supply of energy saving materials. Pipes and radiators have not been added to the list of qualifying materials themselves, and therefore will continue to be standard rated when installed as a standalone product.

In the event of a power outage a heat pump, like a gas or oil boiler, will not work if a home does not have a back-up power supply. The UK has one of the most resilient electricity networks in the world, so the risk of power outages is small. The Government will continue to build resilience into the system as it evolves and dependence on electricity increases.

Renters and leaseholders are facing financial pressures this winter, which is why the Government is taking action worth more than £9.1billion in supporting households through initiatives such as the Energy Bills Rebate, the Household Support Fund, Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments. Depending on their financial situation and income, people may qualify for one or more of these schemes and should get in touch with their local authorities who will best advise them on their eligibility.

There have been two occasions where heating and hot water have failed in the Sergeants' Mess. On 8 March, a generator supporting the boiler tripped, and, on the evening of Friday 11 March, there was a further report of no heating and hot water; the cause was determined as a further tripping of the electricity supply. In both cases, the systems were reset, and the heating and hot water was restored.

Since the answers my hon. Friend, the Minister for Defence Procurement (Jeremy Quin) gave to you on 5 January and 25 January 2022 to Questions 93929 and 108478 respectively I can confirm that the Ministry of Defence is not aware of any recent failures to the hot water system at College Hall RAFC Cranwell.

The Default Tariff (Price) Cap currently protects around 22 million households by limiting the unit rate and standing charges that energy suppliers can charge customers on default or standard variable tariffs. Support is also available to eligible households through the Warm Home Discount, the Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payments.

Additionally, this Government will be providing a £200 rebate for households delivered via their energy bill this autumn, paid back automatically over the next 5 years, spreading the increased costs of global prices over time in a way that is more manageable for households. This is only one part of a wider package of measures to support households in 2022/23, including a £150 non-repayable reduction in Council Tax bills for all households in Bands A-D in England, and £144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax reduction. This support is available to customers irrespective of whether or not they are connected to the gas grid.

In the Heat and Buildings Strategy, the Government noted that improving the energy performance of buildings and installing low carbon heating can deliver benefits in both areas, especially for those living in fuel poverty. For health, it was stated this can include avoiding physical illnesses, such as heart and lung conditions and help those experiencing cold-related sickness. For wellbeing, making energy efficiency improvements can improve mental wellbeing, as it reduces energy costs, as well as increasing productivity by making homes warmer and more comfortable.

The Government did not have specific conversations regarding how health and wellbeing is applied within the context of the Heat and Buildings Strategy. The Government is committed to engaging with a range of stakeholders and the wider public to deliver on the Strategy’s ambitions, including health bodies, where appropriate.

Electrification of heat is the only option proven to decarbonise off grid homes at scale. BEIS analysis suggests that it would be feasible to install low temperature heat pumps in around 80% of fossil fuel heated off gas grid homes.

The Government has consulted on proposals to end the installation of fossil fuel heating in homes off the gas grid from 2026, with a ‘heat pump first’ approach to replacement heating systems. Under these proposals, homes that cannot reasonably practicably install a heat pump will have a choice of heating technologies that are consistent with net zero. The Government is considering the responses to the consultation and will respond in due course.

The Government will be working with industry to mitigate the impact of Russia’s suspension and to ensure continuity of the supply of wood pellets in the market.

The UK government intends to publish a new biomass strategy later this year. This will review the amount of sustainable biomass available to the UK and how it could be best utilised across the economy to help achieve the Government's net zero and wider environmental commitments.