Electricity: Domestic Pricing

Lord Teverson Excerpts

Tuesday 21st April 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Whitehead (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for that question, because he has, remarkably, just anticipated the development of the strategic spatial energy plan and a reformed national pricing delivery plan, both of which came out this morning. Both plans address exactly the longer-term balance arrangements as far as electricity is concerned, particularly how prices can be the lowest possible for the deployment of electricity and gas resources across the country.

[Lord Teverson (LD)]

My Lords, the most effective way of bringing down household energy bills is through the energy efficiency of homes. I welcome the Government’s move to apply the future homes standard, which will bring up energy efficiency, but they are not going to implement it until 2028—before which, some 100,000 or more homes will be built inefficiently. Can the Government please bring this forward, at least to 2027?

[Lord Whitehead (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that question. I cannot stand here and guarantee that that move will be brought forward by one year, as he suggests. It is a very sound idea. The future homes standard, which is now in place, is instead of the net-zero low-carbon standards that should have been implemented about 15 years ago, if the previous Government had not thrown them out. We are catching back up, as far as possible, and making sure we can get that done in good order.