Retail Energy

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 12th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

My hon. Friend makes a good point. One of Ofgem’s responsibilities is to stop the erection of barriers to switching. It seems to me, however, that it is not unreasonable for consumers to expect to be able to trust a particular brand—a particular supplier—rather than having to change their arrangements frequently, and to be confident that they will not suffer a huge penalty as a result.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. I am not a Marxist, but everyone in the Chamber must see that this is common sense.

When the energy price cap comes into effect, what safeguards will be introduced to ensure that the big six do not switch customers to a tariff that is, in effect, a standard variable tariff under a different name?

[Greg Clark]

The hon. Gentleman makes an excellent point, and he will see when he looks at the Bill that there is precisely a requirement that these abusive standard variable tariffs cannot be replaced by something with just a different name.