Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Clark of Kilwinning Excerpts

Thursday 1st November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Claire Perry (Devizes) (Con)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to help people lower their energy bills.

[Katy Clark (North Ayrshire and Arran) (Lab)]

9. What steps his Department is taking to help people lower their energy bills.

[John Robertson (Glasgow North West) (Lab)]

18. What steps his Department is taking to help people lower their energy bills.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Davey]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right, and she will know that I have championed collective purchasing and collective switching. People who are dependent on off-grid fuels such as heating oil have been doing an awful lot of work through heating oil clubs over a number of years. They have been trying to take on the imperfections they see in the market and get a much better deal for those communities. She is right to say that this is the way to go, and I commend her and others who support those projects.

[Katy Clark]

Two weeks ago, the Prime Minister said that he would make the energy companies move everyone on to the cheapest tariffs. Will the Secretary of State update the House on when and how my constituents will be moved on to the cheapest tariffs?

[Mr Davey]

The hon. Lady is right; we will do everything we can, including through legislating in the energy Bill, to get people on to the lowest tariffs. We are examining the retail market review that we have just had from Ofgem, which contains a number of excellent ideas, and we will be putting forward options on this issue, including legislation in the Bill.