Energy Bill [Lords]

Debate between Mike Weir and John Baron

Wednesday 14th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Baron]

My hon. Friend makes a fair point. Undertaking market research into the two proposals and getting energy suppliers to abide by the findings of the research in time for next winter would have the advantage of making it much easier for a customer to get a figure from their company, based on their actual usage, because the message would be tailored. That would make comparisons with other companies much easier. At the end of the day, all we can do in the House is legislate to try to help consumers as much as possible to gain the necessary information for them to make informed choices. If they have that information, direct comparisons with other companies could help competition and consumers generally.

[Mr Weir]

To pursue the point made by the hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Albert Owen), does the hon. Gentleman not accept that the real problem with the off-grid market is the fact that there are no differential tariffs, as there is a set price for oil and gas? There are no social tariffs as there are for gas and electricity, so does he agree that that must be tackled before his excellent proposal could take effect in that market?

[Mr Baron]

The hon. Gentleman has a point, but his proposal goes only so far. My problem is that energy bills are far too complex. I want to set hon. Members’ minds at rest: I do not stay up at night studying my energy bills, despite what Ministers think, although I might create the impression that I spend my time doing nothing else. The essential information is often contained on one page, followed by five or six pages of bumpf which compares usage with neighbourhood usage, and even usage overseas and so on. It is a lot of nonsense. What we want is clear information to cut through the 300 existing tariffs, which can be confusing. We need greater clarity, and there is no better way of getting that than making sure that we have information on a bill that says in pounds, shillings and pence how much would be saved if that customer was on the company’s cheapest standard tariff, taking into account actual usage and payment method. If that information was clearly laid out in no more than four or five lines, we could cut to the quick very easily indeed.

Before I accepted a series of interventions—hon. Members were right to make them and I hope that I have answered their questions—I described the three proposals suggested by the billing stakeholder group: two for this winter, the letter and the generic message; and one for next year, which would be an obligation on suppliers, following research on which is the clearest message, to put that in place for winter 2012-13 . Ofgem supports the billing stakeholder group’s general direction of travel, but I am aware that it is about to publish detailed proposals, following consultation, as part of its retail market review. One measure that it is considering is increased prescription on suppliers’ communications with customers in bills and annual statements. Having discussed that with the Minister, I understand that he has asked Ofgem to publish its findings before Christmas. He and I have therefore agreed that we will wait to see what those findings are before the billing stakeholder group and the Minister consult on whether Ofgem’s recommendations go far enough. If not, the third recommendation, in subsection (c) of new clause 19 will be triggered.

I therefore seek assurances from the Minister that the recommendations from the billing stakeholder group, as reflected in the new clause, will be agreed by the Government, with the qualification that we await the findings of Ofgem’s proposals in December this year before deciding whether to trigger subsection (c). The Minister has kindly indicated in previous discussions, following my letter to him of 8 September this year containing the stakeholder group’s recommendations, that he supported the proposals—something that I very much welcome, and for which I thank him. I therefore look forward to his response.