Energy crisis support for small and medium sized businesses, the public sector and charities

Anne McLaughlin Excerpts

Thursday 22nd September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow North East) (SNP)]

Small and medium-sized businesses are the lifeblood of our local economies, but energy price increases threaten to cripple them. In addition, when times are tough, it is the public sector and the third sector that our communities turn to. Whether it is the warm banks that Glasgow City Council is having to open up so that everyone has a warm place to go if they cannot heat their homes, or youth centres such as the Brunswick Youth and Community Centre—which welcomes around 60 young people every night, where they learn, have fun, and stay safe and warm—each provides a vital lifeline for people. To provide that lifeline, they need certainty. Our businesses need certainty.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government

“to match the Energy Price Guarantee period for domestic consumers of two years for small and medium sized businesses, public sector organisations and charities, allowing certainty and stability in their dealings and further urges the Government to extend the eligibility criteria to allow access to the scheme for businesses, public sector organisations and charities who may have agreed their energy contracts prior to 1 April 2022.”

Following is the full text of the petition:

[The Petition of residents of the United Kingdom,

Declares that businesses, public sector organisations and charities are facing unprecedented energy costs which will have dire and serious consequences for staff, customers and beneficiaries; notes that the Energy Bill Relief Scheme is an effective price cap and has been pledged for a six-month period, and that a price cap for domestic energy consumers under the Energy Price Guarantee has been pledged for a period of two years; and further notes that eligibility for the Energy Bill Relief Scheme is restricted to businesses, public sector organisations and charities who have fixed contracts agreed on or after 1 April 2022, as well as to deemed, variable and flexible tariffs and contracts.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to match the Energy Price Guarantee period for domestic consumers of two years for small and medium sized businesses, public sector organisations and charities, allowing certainty and stability in their dealings and further urges the Government to extend the eligibility criteria to allow access to the scheme for businesses, public sector organisations and charities who may have agreed their energy contracts prior to the 1 April 2022.

And the petitioners remain, etc.]

[P002768]