Questions
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government why advice given by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated that liability for the carbon reduction commitment fell to port tenants when subsequent advice from the Department of Energy and Climate Change states that port estate owners will be liable for the climate change levy. [HL6059]
Advice given to inquiries from Forth Ports about the carbon reduction commitment energy efficiency scheme from both Defra and DECC was based on information supplied by the inquirer. Liability under the CRC rests with the counterparty to the supply contract. Initially Forth Ports stated that it was a deemed electricity supplier in which case liability under the CRC would lie with its tenants. Further examination following the creation of DECC confirmed that the port was the subject of a utility direction by HMRC for the purposes of the climate change levy in respect of supplies of electricity that it made. The direction was given under the provisions of Finance Act 2000, Schedule 6, paragraph 151(1). So in this instance the port authority is liable under CRC. The utility direction has effect from the date it is issued and treats that person as a utility only for the purposes of the climate change levy.
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have given to port estate owners to help them reduce the carbon emissions of tenants to whom they supply electricity. [HL6060]
To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have given to ports regarding any reputational liability caused by erratic tenant energy use which may alter carbon reduction commitment league table positions. [HL6061]
The Government have provided no advice to port estate owners or any other potential participants to help them reduce the carbon emissions of their tenants or more generally on energy use. Such advice is readily available through the Carbon Trust and others. DECC has supported the British Property Federation in the production of the guidance Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC)—A Guide for Landlords and Tenants produced by the British Property Federation.
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of port tenants who would not have been included in the carbon reduction commitment had they not been based in port estates with electricity supplied through the infrastructure of the port estate. [HL6070]
The Government have made no such assessment.