Will Rishi Sunak delaying electric car and gas boiler switch affect me?

Published

8 months ago

September 21, 2023

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The cost of living crisis has seen Rishi Sunak go back on some of the government’s key promises on climate change.

In a Downing Street speech on Wednesday, the prime minister announced a delay in the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 to 2035 and on gas boilers in all new homes from 2025 to 2035.

He also scrapped plans that would have made rental properties more energy efficient.

But with changes still years into the future – and the cost of living crisis rumbling on – will pushing deadlines back make a difference to people’s finances now? Here, Sky News takes a look.

Latest:
Live reaction to PM’s green policy changes

Petrol and diesel vehicle ban

When he was prime minister in 2020, Boris Johnson committed to banning the sale of any new petrol and diesel cars in the UK from 2030. This is now being pushed back until 2035.

Plans to fine manufacturers for each vehicle that doesn’t comply are also being watered down.

Figures show that although petrol and diesel are still the overwhelming majority – the numbers of plug-in and battery electric vehicles on UK roads have increased – by 45% and 58% respectively.

And in 2023 more electric vehicles were registered than diesel ones for the first time.

This shows a “general trend” away from internal combustion engines (ICE) – and towards more sustainable modes of transport already, says Oliver Montague, chief executive and co-founder of the e-bike engineer company Swytch.

So a change in the timing of the ban is unlikely to have much of an impact.

“Those who have to transition [to EVs] will still have to do so – they just have more time to do it,” he tells Sky News.

“The real shift will be for people who can choose how they want to get around – who aren’t already hooked to one particular mode of transport” – such as a diesel car that needs trading in.

And with the average car journey being only around eight miles – he believes many will opt for e-bikes or cycling, instead of an electric vehicle, meaning the ICE ban will have even less of an impact.

The RAC also notes the ban only covers new petrol and diesel cars, which means “a lot of people won’t be affected as the majority tend to buy used vehicles”.

Mike Childs, head of science, research and policy at Friends of the Earth, adds that people will still be able to buy non-UK manufactured EVs.

“From a consumer perspective it won’t have a great impact because they can just buy Chinese or German EVs,” he tells Sky News.

“But for British manufacturing it’s a huge backwards step and a massive shot in the foot for jobs.”

No gas boilers in new homes

Plans to stop new build properties being fitted with gas boilers beyond 2025 are being pushed back 10 years.

This doesn’t affect people who already have gas boilers, who won’t need to replace them with alternatives such as heat pumps. As a result, this change is more likely to affect developers than consumers.

Jess Ralston, energy analyst at Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, says that with a greater upfront cost for heat pumps, we won’t know until the changes come in how much of that will be passed on to buyers.

But she adds: “As time goes on heat pumps are going to be cheaper to buy and run anyway.”

Plans for all new heating systems to be low carbon by 2035, including £450m in household grants, has also been scrapped.

This means more people will have gas boilers for longer, which with prices “two to three times’ pre-crisis levels” will mean people paying more in energy bills, Ms Ralston adds.

But on Wednesday Mr Sunak did announce a 50% increase in the boiler upgrade scheme, which offers people £7,500 to help with the costs of switching from a boiler to a heat pump.

More energy efficient landlords

In 2020, Boris Johnson also pledged that from 2028 all rental properties would have to have an energy efficient rating of C or higher (A being the best and G the worst). But Mr Sunak is scrapping this due to “cost of living challenges”.

Ms Ralston says she “cannot get a single shred of logic” from the decision.

“This would reduce people’s energy bills in the cost of living crisis and increase energy security – things that the government say they want to be doing. It makes no sense whatsoever.”

Mr Childs says it will disproportionately affect people on lower incomes who are more likely to rent their homes.

“This is a massive kick in the teeth to people who live in cold, damp rented homes that are expensive to heat.

“It’s also a massive handout to landlords who can’t be bothered to insulate their properties properly,” he says.

He adds that despite some drop in prices this year, the cost of oil and gas is increasing again – and will remain volatile for as long as Russia is at war with Ukraine.

“There are more renters than there are landlords, so it makes no sense on votes. It just begs the question of whether the government are being lobbied by wealthy landlords,” Ms Ralston says.

Hydrogen levy

The government was proposing to introduce a levy of around £100 on household energy bills in 2025 – to help pay for low-carbon hydrogen production.

But after many claimed the hydrogen was being used primarily in industry – not people’s homes – ministers have scrapped it.

This is being welcomed by environmental and consumer groups.

Ms Ralston says that heat pumps are far more efficient than hydrogen for heating homes – so the government was right to recognise this wasn’t something the public should pay for.

Mr Childs adds that hydrogen still relies on natural gas – which both homes and transport have been moving away from, so Friends of the Earth has been “against it from the outset”.

UK

About 100 sub-postmaster convictions separate to Post Office cases may be ‘tainted’

Published

9 hours ago

May 17, 2024

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About 100 sub-postmaster convictions separate to Post Office cases may be 'tainted'

Prosecutions of sub postmasters by the Department for Work and Pensions could be “tainted” as Sky News reveals officials worked with now discredited Post Office investigators to secure convictions.

Around 100 prosecutions of Post Office staff were led by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) between 2001 and 2006.

It is understood that these usually involved the cashing in of stolen order books.

The Post Office itself wrongly prosecuted hundreds of sub-postmasters between 1999 and 2015 – based on evidence from the faulty Horizon accounting system.

The role of government

A Sky News investigation, however, has discovered that information was shared between Post Office investigation teams and the DWP.

Chair of the Justice Select Committee, Sir Robert Neill KC, said as a result DWP convictions “need to be looked at”.

“I hadn’t been aware of that, for example, there may have been material in the DWP case as a result of joint investigations – which suggests a disclosure failure,” he added.

“I think that’s the area they need to look at if we are saying their approach was tainted from the beginning – in the way the investigators adopted things – then joint operations I suspect would be just as tainted arguably as something where it has been the Post Office on its own.”

What was known?

A 2003 DWP report into fraud describes “joint working” and the “sharing of information” with the Post Office.

It also outlines a “Fraud Prevention Board” established by the DWP and Royal Mail Group plc which includes “the exchange of information that directly assists fraud prevention and investigations”.

In addition, separately, a 2003 letter seen by Sky News also indicates a connection between DWP and Post Office investigations.

The letter, from the then post affairs minister Stephen Timms, references the case of Roger Allen, a sub-postmaster from Norwich.

It states: “Subsequent investigations by the police, the Post Office Investigation Department and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) led to a prosecution by DWP…”

Roger Allen was convicted in 2004 of stealing pension payments and was sentenced to six months in prison. He died in March of this year.

Mr Allen had pleaded guilty to spare his wife – after his lawyer told him in a letter that there had been “an indication from the Crown that they may discontinue the proceedings against Mrs Allen were you minded to plead guilty”.

Despite the Criminal Cases Review Commission deciding Mr Allen had grounds to appeal against his conviction – it was upheld by the Court of Appeal in 2021.

DWP prosecutions are not covered in upcoming government legislation that will overturn Post Office convictions.

Fighting to clear names

Keren Simpson, Roger’s daughter, has vowed to fight to clear his name posthumously.

She describes her father as a “proud” and “honest” man who “couldn’t face or deal” with the fact his conviction would not be overturned.

She says “in the end he obviously gave up” and there is “very little surviving evidence” because of the passage of time.

“He’s the innocent one,” Keren states. “I don’t see why he’s got to try and prove it. They have got to try and prove it, and show what evidence they actually had on my dad.

“Because the Department of Work and Pensions have put a statement out saying there was surveillance and witness testimonies and physical evidence to show it.

“Show me it.”

Investigation failures?

Sky News has also seen documents that suggest failures by DWP investigators in a different case in the 2000s.

It involved a sub-postmaster who decided to plead not guilty and was acquitted of stealing by a jury.

In one extract it says a “senior investigating officer” was “willing to admit in open court that (they) had been neglectful in (their) duty in securing evidence”.

Another document appears to show a failure to review transaction logs used as evidence against the sub-postmaster.

Some logs appear to show that the accused did not cash the “dockets”, used to collect pension payments.

Other transaction logs indicate the sub-postmaster was not present at a particular branch when the theft was alleged to have occurred.

Chris Head, former sub-postmaster and a campaigner for others, has also seen the documents and says they point to a “deeply flawed” DWP investigation.

“…they failed to obtain all transaction logs for the entirety of this case, but the ones that they have, they have they clearly haven’t looked at.”

He believes there are “more cases out there” which could be “part of a miscarriage of justice”.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “We do not recognise these claims.

“DWP investigates offences against the welfare system to protect taxpayers’ money, and between 2001 and 2006 a small number of Post Office staff were convicted for welfare-related fraud.

“These cases involved complex investigations and were backed by evidence including filmed surveillance, stolen benefit books and witness statements – they did not rely on Horizon evidence, and this has been accepted by the Court of Appeal.”

The Post Office says it “continues to help other prosecuting authorities to ensure that they have every assistance in taking their work forward”.

“This includes sharing all the information we have in relation to prosecutions which have been brought by other prosecutors.”

Meanwhile, Lord Sikka has tabled an amendment in the House of Lords to the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill to include all DWP convictions.

UK

What is cryptosporidium? The diarrhoea-causing parasite found in Devon drinking water

Published

17 hours ago

May 16, 2024

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What is cryptosporidium? The diarrhoea-causing parasite found in Devon drinking water

An outbreak of a waterborne disease in Devon has prompted urgent warnings for residents to boil their tap water.

At least 22 cases of cryptosporidiosis disease have been confirmed in and around the town of Brixham in South West England.

But what is the parasite that is making people sick, what are the symptoms of being infected with it and how serious can it be?

What is cryptosporidiosis disease?

Cryptosporidiosis is the disease caused by the parasite cryptosporidium.

Often shortened to crypto, infections can be caused by drinking contaminated water or swallowing contaminated water in swimming pools or streams.

It can also be acquired through contact with the faeces of infected animals or humans.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of cryptosporidiosis include:

• profuse watery diarrhoea
• stomach pains
• nausea or vomiting
• low-grade fever
• loss of appetite

How long does it last?

Most people develop symptoms within one to 12 days of picking up the parasite.

Symptoms usually last for about two weeks, but can last up to six weeks or longer when the immune system is not working properly.

During the illness, you might think you are getting better but the illness returns a couple of days later before you fully recover.

How serious is it?

Most people recover, but in people with severely weakened immune systems it can cause severe disease and can be fatal.

Serious cases and death used to be more common, according to Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia (UEA).

This is because before effective antiretroviral treatments were introduced for HIV/AIDS, people living with these illnesses would not recover if they picked up cryptosporidiosis.

Who is most at risk of serious illness?

People with weak immune systems are at greater risk of serious illness. This includes:

• people on some immunosuppressive drugs, for example cancer or transplant patients
• people with untreated HIV/AIDS
• malnourished children

Does it need treatment?

There is no specific treatment for cryptosporidiosis.

It important to drink plenty of fluids as diarrhoea or vomiting can lead to dehydration, according to advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

You might also want to talk to a pharmacist about oral rehydration sachets to help replace the sugar, salts and minerals the body has lost.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, Torbay’s Director of Public Health, said anyone with “severe symptoms like bloody diarrhoea” should contact NHS 111 or their GP.

Severe cases may require hospital treatment.

How do you know if you have crypto?

The symptoms of crypto are similar to other stomach bugs, so the only way to know for sure if you have it is for your doctor to send a sample of your faeces to be tested in a laboratory.

How can you stop the illness spreading?

If you are ill, stay away from nursery, school or work while you have symptoms, and for at least 48 hours after they stop.

You should also avoid swimming for two weeks after being unwell.

You should not prepare food for anyone else until 48 hours after diarrhoea has stopped.

Make sure you’re using good handwashing practices too, washing your hands thoroughly when handling food and after using the toilet.

The UKHSA also advises washing bedding and towels on the hottest possible cycle.

UK

Lucy Letby: Families of victims want inquiry live streamed to stop ‘grossly offensive’ conspiracy theories

Published

17 hours ago

May 16, 2024

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Lucy Letby: Families of victims want inquiry live streamed to stop 'grossly offensive' conspiracy theories

The inquiry into how nurse Lucy Letby was able to murder babies at a hospital in Chester will begin to hear evidence in September.

Lawyers for the families of Letby’s victims told a preliminary hearing that the inquiry should be live streamed to the public to prevent the spread of “grossly offensive” conspiracy theories.

Letby was sentenced to 14 whole-life orders after she was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others while working on the neo-natal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016.

At the preliminary hearing, inquiry chair Lady Justice Thirlwall heard submissions on whether the hearings should be publicly broadcast.

Peter Skelton KC, on behalf of the families of six babies, said Letby’s crimes continued to be the subject of conspiracy theories online.

“One of the most effective antidotes to those theories and the damage they cause will be to see and to hear the people involved in the hospital give a true and comprehensive account of the facts,” he said.

But Andrew Kennedy KC, representing the Countess of Chester, said there was a “high level of anxiety” from staff at the prospect of giving evidence which was live streamed.

He said: “If a witness is concerned about live-streaming then if we can remove that concern we can, we would suggest, encourage candour, frankness and openness.”

Richard Baker KC, representing some of the other families, said: “Their desire in this case is for change and so that others do not experience what they have experienced.”

They were “saddened” and “concerned” at the suggestion the lack of transparency might continue, he said.

Lady Justice Thirlwall will give her decision on whether the hearings will be broadcast at a later date.

She had begun the proceedings with a pause for reflection on the “lives lost”, “injuries sustained” and “suffering” of the families.

The hearing was told 188 requests for information had been made to individuals including midwives, nurses, doctors, managers and members of the hospital board.

The inquiry hearings are scheduled to begin on 10 September at Liverpool Town Hall.

The parents of the babies will be among the first to give evidence.

Counsel to the inquiry Rachel Langdale KC told the hearing: “There are no sides. It is a search for the truth.”

Last month Letby asked the Court of Appeal for permission to mount a full legal challenge to her conviction. Judges are due to rule on this at a later date.

The former nurse is due to face a re-trial next month on one charge of the attempted murder of a baby in February 2016.