Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Neil Parish and Chris Huhne(13 years, 4 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Chris Huhne
The Bill will allow us to move forward on F and G-rated homes, for example, if there is not a sufficient improvement in the private rental sector. There is clear provision for us to regulate to deal with the problem.
Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)
Referring again to Ofgem, in the past month crude oil prices have risen by 17% but consumers are paying 70% more. Is it not time that the Government took on the oil companies to ensure that my constituents get a fair deal on oil prices? Many of them have no choice but to have oil.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Neil Parish and Chris Huhne(13 years, 7 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Chris Huhne
On the social tariff, I congratulate the right hon. Member for Doncaster North (Edward Miliband) on the powers introduced in the Energy Act 2010. We can use that important set of powers to try to alleviate these problems. The Department’s approach, most fundamentally, is to try to deal with the causes of the problem, not merely to use sticking plaster on the symptoms. The key thing is to identify those in fuel poverty and ensure that they have the energy-efficiency measures in place to make sure that they do not get into fuel poverty in future. With social price support we can help for one year, but if we get the energy-efficiency measures right, we help for ever.
Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)
On the Severn barrage, the Bristol channel has the second highest rise and fall of tide in the world. Are the Government also examining tidal pools?