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A GROUP of Liberal Democrat, Labour, SNP and Green MPs have written to Business and Energy Secretary Alok Sharma urging for a home heating scheme to be expanded for the duration of the coronavirus lockdown. Signed by 28 MPs including Labour’s Karl Turner, Yasmin Qureshi, Gareth Thomas, Jon Cruddas and Sarah Owen plus the SNP’s Allen Dorans, Neale Harvey, Owen...

PAYMENTS worth £19.1 million have been made to almost 6,000 farmers and crofters in Scotland’s most remote and rural areas from the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme. The majority will receive balance payments on top of the 95% loan paid between January and March this year. Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing commented on the announcement: “It is vital that we continue...

A BILL that would embed sustainability into UK policy-making in terms of fighting climate change, poverty and health inequalities has been introduced to the Parliament. Even though the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill is not backed by the Government, it has gathered cross party support ever since it was introduced to the House of Lords in October 2019 by the...

ED Miliband makes a return to the shadow cabinet after being announced as the new shadow energy secretary. The former Labour leader previously held the role of energy secretary between 2008-2010, before becoming the shadow energy secretary between May and September 2010. Mr Miliband commented on his new position: "I am looking forward to serving in Keir Starmer's Shadow Cabinet as...

FARMERS are encouraged to make most of a government scheme offering an opportunity to sell the carbon trees in their land capture. The Woodland Carbon Guarantee is a new scheme which incentivises tree planting by 'selling' the carbon dioxide they capture in the form of 'carbon credits'. £50 million incentive scheme to help accelerate woodland planting rates across England to mitigate for the effects...

MOSCOW is ready to coordinate with other leading oil exporting countries to help stabilise the global oil market, the Kremlin told Reuters yesterday. Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s wealth fund, told CNBC earlier on Monday that Saudi Arabia and Russia are “very, very close” to a deal on oil production cuts. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a daily conference call with...

BRITISH wholesale gas prices were mixed on Monday morning as oversupply weighed on the within-day contract and forecasts for lower wind power buoyed the day-ahead, Reuters reported. The within-day contract was down 0.35 pence at 16.25 p/therm by 0926 GMT. The day-ahead contract was up 0.25 p at 16.25 p/therm. Traders said fundamentally the market remains week amid low...

LAST week ICON reported on Energy UK leading conversation with the government on behalf of utility companies about setting up a loan scheme to help their business and household customers struggling amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The government has now referred the energy industry to their existing package of targeted measures to support businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19. This includes...

A COMMON agreement for procuring flexibility that seeks to improve the customer journey and ease engagement with the energy system has been unveiled by Energy Networks Association. Flexibility providers will soon benefit from a standardised contract for the procurement of their services, offered by all of Great Britain’s Distribution Network Operators (DNOs). David Smith, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association, commented...

STEPS to further reform the building safety system with the 'biggest changes in a generation' have been announced by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick. New measures announced today include mandatory sprinkler systems and consistent wayfinding signage in all new high-rise blocks of flats over 11 metres tall. The reforms are designed to incentivise compliance and to better enable the use of enforcement...