Oral Answers to Questions

Michael Wheeler Excerpts

Tuesday 4th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[David Williams (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab)]

3. What discussions he has had with energy suppliers on support for consumers during winter 2024-25.

[Michael Wheeler (Worsley and Eccles) (Lab)]

9. What discussions he has had with energy suppliers on support for consumers during winter 2024-25.

[Rachel Hopkins (Luton South and South Bedfordshire) (Lab)]

11. What discussions he has had with energy suppliers on support for consumers during winter 2024-25.

--- Later in debate ---

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

My hon. Friend is right to point out that we need to reduce energy bills for businesses, including those in energy-intensive industries. I was sorry to hear about the job losses in his constituency, and one of the ministerial team will be happy to meet him. I must add, however, that this is exactly why we are running our clean power mission. We see that the route through which we can drive down bills is breaking our dependence on global fossil fuel markets over which we have no control, in order to take ourselves off the rollercoaster of price rises and price hikes that is so damaging to businesses. While we do that, we are working with Ofgem and industry to ensure that businesses are not being locked into expensive contracts, and to ensure that they have much stronger redress when things go wrong.

[Michael Wheeler]

I thank the Minister for all her work in this area. I know from conversations with my constituents that energy costs are a large part of the cost of living crisis for them. Following the Conservative party’s failure to protect our energy system and invest in home-grown clean power, can the Minister give us an update on what steps are being taken to tackle my constituents’ high energy bills?

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

My hon. Friend is 100% right. The reason we are so exposed as a country to global fossil fuel markets and the rollercoaster that is damaging business and hurting consumers is the Conservative party’s failure to invest in home-grown clean power and to upgrade people's homes to insulate them from high prices. That is a record of which the Conservatives should be ashamed, and it is a record that we are determined to change.