Economy Update Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Economy Update

Ben Lake Excerpts
Thursday 26th May 2022

(2 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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Unlike the Labour party, we believe in the North sea and in our domestic energy industry. It employs hundreds of thousands of people, and it will help us to increase our energy security, and to transition to net zero. That is why it is wrong to stigmatise it and absolutely right to support it, and to support its investment ambitions as we do.

Ben Lake Portrait Ben Lake (Ceredigion) (PC)
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The Chancellor is of course aware that some 20% of households in Wales are not connected to the mains gas grid, and in rural areas such as Ceredigion that proportion is significantly higher. Will he confirm that the £400 grant he announced today will apply to off-grid homes, and if so, what if anything will those people need to do to receive the support?

Rishi Sunak Portrait Rishi Sunak
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The hon. Gentleman raised this recently, rightly. As a rural MP, I share his concerns. The energy bill rebate is based on electricity metered, rather than gas, so it will apply both to his constituents and to mine.