Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Stephens Excerpts

Tuesday 29th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[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.

[Angela Crawley (Lanark and Hamilton East) (SNP)]

15. 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]

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.

[Chris Stephens]

Rising bills terrify most households. The End Fuel Poverty Coalition recently warned that

“predictions of ‘a humanitarian crisis’ for children stuck in cold homes are now a very real possibility”,

so does the Secretary of State accept that failure to provide additional support for vulnerable families in April will have dire consequences?

[Grant Shapps]

I just mentioned support for 8 million families that goes beyond just the £400 and the energy price guarantee. Those 8 million families will benefit from all manner of additional support—£1 billion for local authorities, additional money for people on various forms of universal credit, and money for pensioners—all of which is designed to help people through a crisis that the whole House should recognise has been brought on by Putin the dictator invading Ukraine.