Oral Answers to Questions

Keir Mather Excerpts

Tuesday 21st May 2024 Commons Chamber

[Amanda Solloway]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question and for the opportunity to provide clarity. The forced installation of prepayment meters is clearly unacceptable, and the Government have done everything we can to counteract it. However, I reiterate that 150,000 investigations were carried out, in 2,500 of those cases compensation is due and, instead of 1%, the actual figure on compensation is 60%.

[Keir Mather (Selby and Ainsty) (Lab)]

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

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

The policy on fuel poverty is devolved. Statistics for England estimate that 3.17 million households were in fuel poverty in 2023, which is more than 1.5 million fewer than in 2010.

[Keir Mather]

The best way to cut fuel poverty is through a nationwide home upgrade scheme, but the Secretary of State seems unaware of the reality when it comes to home upgrades. Her officials said in recent documents given to the High Court that progress to decarbonise the UK’s building stock has been slow, that policy gaps remain and that the Government are lagging behind. Why will she not admit in public what her Department tells her in private?

[Amanda Solloway]

This Government are committed to making sure that we not only get energy efficiency but support people with their energy bills.