Energy: Prices

Baroness Worthington Excerpts

Monday 25th February 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, I did not read the article. I am afraid that I was curled up in bed with the flu. However, I will take the noble Lord’s word for it that it was an interesting article. As I have said persistently and consistently at the Dispatch Box, we need a good energy mix, and wind will be part of that mix.

[Baroness Worthington]

My Lords, during this cold weather, many people are being forced to make very difficult decisions in their budgeting, especially because of the high energy prices. Does the Minister agree that the best way to bring prices down is to ensure that we have a genuinely competitive market in energy? Will she comment on whether the Energy Bill that will come to this House later in the year will be amended to introduce genuine competition in the generation of electricity, splitting it from the retail and therefore enabling us to get real competition to bring prices down?