Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Tuesday 29th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Martin Docherty-Hughes (West Dunbartonshire) (SNP)]

1. What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the increase in the energy price guarantee in April 2023 on households.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

4. What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the increase in the energy price guarantee in April 2023 on households.

[Chris Stephens (Glasgow South West) (SNP)]

5. What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the increase in the energy price guarantee in April 2023 on households.

--- Later in debate ---

[Grant Shapps]

As the hon. Gentleman will know, a comprehensive range of different support is in place, including the energy price guarantee, which on average looks to guarantee £2,500. It is not specific to each household, of course, and it depends on how much energy is actually used—it is a cap—but there is additional help including the £400 non-repayable support through the energy bills support scheme.

[Chris Law]

The support to which the Secretary of State refers offers scant consolation to those suffering, particularly the near-130,000 households in Scotland who rely on heating oil. The £200 of support from the UK Government covers less than half the price of the typical minimum order of heating oil, so will he finally commit to increasing the support available to these households?

[Grant Shapps]

Of course, everybody has had a £400 discount from their bill that is not repayable, and 8 million families also have additional support—those on income support and the like. The hon. Gentleman mentions the £200; we only just doubled that from £100 in the autumn statement the week before last.