Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will introduce a requirement for energy suppliers to include at least one tariff with a zero standing charge in their core tariffs for domestic customers.

Decisions about standing charges are a commercial matter for energy suppliers. The standing charge is a fixed charge that suppliers pass on to their customers to cover the cost of providing a live supply.

The Ofgem price cap sets a limit on unit rates and standing charges, and the Energy Price Guarantee subsidises the unit rate.