This House of Lords Library Briefing provides background information on the Domestic Premises (Energy Performance) Bill [HL], ahead of its second reading in the House of Lords on 7 February 2020.
Domestic Premises (Energy Performance) Bill [HL]: Briefing for Lords Stages (327 KB , PDF)
The Domestic Premises (Energy Performance) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced in the House of Lords on 8 January 2020 by Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat).
The bill would put an existing fuel poverty target into primary legislation. Currently, the Fuel Poverty (England) Regulations 2014 require the Government to improve the energy efficiency of homes for people living in fuel poverty. The properties in which they live must have a minimum energy performance certificate (EPC) band C rating by the end of 2030. This date could be changed through secondary legislation. The bill would require in primary legislation the secretary of state publish and implement a strategy to deliver on this specific 2030 target.
The bill would also make it a legal requirement for the Government to meet a further target: that as many homes as possible are improved to EPC band C by 2035. This target is not currently set out in legislation.
Other provisions include: enabling the secretary of state to require mortgage lenders to provide information on the energy performance of properties in their portfolio; and new requirements concerning the energy efficiency of new heating systems installed in existing properties.
Lord Foster has argued this bill would better enable the Government to meet both its existing fuel poverty target and its target for reducing the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
In July 2019, the Conservative Government launched a consultation on proposals for updating its current fuel poverty strategy. The consultation ended on 16 September 2019. The Government has yet to publish its response to this consultation.
Domestic Premises (Energy Performance) Bill [HL]: Briefing for Lords Stages (327 KB , PDF)
Supported housing is accommodation where residents receive support, supervision or care. Housebuilding targets include targets for supported accommodation; however, housing associations and local authorities have argued that government funding is not sufficient to enable enough to be built. Concerns have been raised about the quality of supported housing, which is largely paid for by housing benefit.
Electricity network operators can apply to compulsorily acquire land or land rights without the consent of landowners when installing and maintaining network infrastructure. If approved, landowners are entitled to compensation from the network operator. If a compensation dispute arises between a landowner and network operator, the level of compensation can be determined by a tribunal. The Electricity Transmission (Compensation) Bill would require the secretary of state to lay proposals before Parliament for the use of alternative dispute resolution processes to determine levels of compensation in electricity-related land acquisition cases.
Developing countries have been identified as some of those most at risk from the effects of climate change. This includes many of the member states of the Commonwealth. The UK government has made a series of commitments to provide support to developing countries in order to mitigate these risks, including through aid spending and international climate finance. The House of Lords is scheduled to debate these policies on 30 March 2023.
