Draft Energy Prices Act 2022 (Extension of Time Limit) (No. 2) Regulations 2026

Debate between Polly Billington and Lincoln Jopp

Tuesday 1st September 2026 General Committees

[Ms Billington]

To be clear, we will do this while we need to. As soon as parliamentary time allows, we will change the law so that we do not need to continue to extend in this way.

The regulations do not give the Secretary of State any new powers. They simply extend the period in which the existing power may be used. I assure hon. Members that the Department is working on primary legislation to provide a more permanent solution when parliamentary time allows.

The position is slightly different in Northern Ireland, where energy costs are a transferred matter for the Executive, and the Northern Ireland renewables obligation forms a smaller cost on energy bills. The Department has been supporting colleagues in Northern Ireland as they develop a comparable offer to the policy in Great Britain. Following a request from the Northern Ireland Minister for the Economy, separate regulations came into force on 20 June to enable the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver their comparable offer.

The regulations are a straightforward extension of an existing time-limited power. At a time when international events continue to put pressure on wholesale energy markets, it is vital that the Government can continue to deliver the bill reductions announced in the Budget while work progresses on a longer-term legislative solution. I commend the regulations to the Committee.

[Lincoln Jopp (Spelthorne) (Con)]

Has the Minister assessed how much the additional six-month extension will cost the Exchequer?

[Ms Billington]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I am happy to write him about the specifics of that.