Oral Answers to Questions

Gregg McClymont Excerpts

Thursday 7th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Gregory Barker]

There will continue to be publicly funded information, particularly on the green deal. We believe that the public should get the very best information and that the way to achieve that is by opening up the provision of advice to competition, rather than by just continuing with one monopoly provider. The Energy Saving Trust has done good work in the past, and we certainly anticipate that it will be part of the tender for the new provision of advice under the green deal.

[Gregg McClymont (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East) (Lab)]

10. What recent discussions he has had on domestic energy bills with representatives of the six largest energy companies.

[Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)]

20. What recent discussions he has had on domestic energy bills with representatives of the six largest energy companies.

[The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (Chris Huhne)]

Department of Energy and Climate Change Ministers and officials regularly meet energy suppliers to discuss market issues, and this afternoon I will be hosting an energy summit for small, non-big six suppliers, to discuss the barriers they face to competing in the market, with a view to making sure it is as easy as possible for them to enter it.

[Gregg McClymont]

Bringing the Secretary of State back to the issue of the big six energy companies, do they do enough to make vulnerable customers aware of their potential eligibility for a social tariff, and if they do not do enough, what will the Government do to make sure vulnerable customers are made aware of their potential eligibility?

[Chris Huhne]

The hon. Gentleman raises an important question, especially as we approach the winter months. As he may know, we have put the warm homes discount scheme on a legislative basis and it is absolutely crucial that our targeting efforts continue. We are doing a lot of work, not least with the Department for Work and Pensions, to try to ensure that we can identify the people who will be most in need, and of course the green deal, which will start next year, will prioritise those in fuel poverty so that we tackle the root causes of the problem and do not merely seek to apply a sticking plaster—