Oral Answers to Questions

Kate Osborne Excerpts

Tuesday 16th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[Amanda Solloway]

As I have indicated, we are doing a lot of things to help people, including the most vulnerable in society. It is worth pointing out that it was announced recently in the autumn statement that the national living wage will be worth £1,800 for a full-time worker and that benefits will increase by 6.7%, which is worth £470 a year.

[Kate Osborne (Jarrow) (Lab)]

5. What estimate she has made of the number of households in fuel poverty in winter 2023-24.

[Beth Winter (Cynon Valley) (Lab)]

15. What estimate she has made of the number of households in fuel poverty in winter 2023-24.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Amanda Solloway)]

Fuel poverty is devolved. Statistics for England are published annually by the Department. The next English statistics will be published on 15 February and will include estimates of the number of households in fuel poverty in 2023 and 2024.

[Kate Osborne]

Just under a third of people in my Jarrow constituency are now living in fuel poverty, like Maureen, who told me she is struggling to find an extra £975 per month due to the disability price tag. That will be made worse by the recent news of the energy price cap rise. Can the Minister explain why the Government still insist on giving subsidies worth billions to the oil and gas industry through loopholes in the windfall tax? Would that money not be better spent cutting people’s bills?

[Amanda Solloway]

I must point out the work the Government have been doing to help vulnerable people. Not only that, but we have halved energy bills. I have constant meetings with all stakeholders, including Citizens Advice and all the disability groups, and we are ensuring that we are supporting all vulnerable people in the cost of living crisis and as we go through this winter.