Energy Prices: Support for Business

Jack Brereton Excerpts

Thursday 22nd September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

Heating oil is an important issue, for the hon. Lady’s constituents, for businesses and, as I mentioned earlier, for Northern Ireland. It is therefore important that we ensure there is a proper equivalent scheme, and that is what we are doing.

[Jack Brereton (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Con)]

Many businesses in my constituency very much welcome these measures. As a number of Members have said, energy-intensive industries, in particular, have borne the brunt of many of the issues we have faced with energy cost rises. So will my right hon. Friend look in particular at industries such as ceramics, at longer-term support and at how we can support them to invest in more efficient and energy-saving technologies?

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

This is a very important point for ceramics, steel and other energy-intensive industries: they want to move to more efficient means of production, and that may require some investment. It is important that the Government help to work on the schemes to ensure that we have vibrant, efficient, profitable and, most importantly of all, globally competitive industries.