Energy Company Charges

Debate between Robert Halfon and Lord Barker of Battle

Tuesday 4th February 2014 Commons Chamber

[Gregory Barker]

In just a moment. I want to make some progress and I have to give my hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford time to wrap up.

My hon. Friend the Member for Harlow drilled to the centre of the issue when he raised the fact that Spark Energy is charging a premium of £300-plus. That is staggering. Scottish Power, one of the big six created by the Labour party, is offering a premium—or a discount, depending on which way we look at it—of £99. The right hon. Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) asked why we were not doing anything. We are doing something: there is already a specific ongoing investigation into Scottish Power. This is not just about Scottish Power, however: for npower, that figure is £95. As part of the competition test, we have asked Ofgem to look at all the energy suppliers to ensure genuine cost reflection. We want to know why these costs are so much more than those charged by other utilities providers, such as water and telephone companies.

[Robert Halfon]

My right hon. Friend is right about the costs, but do we not need to look at the criteria by which they are measured?

[Gregory Barker]

Absolutely, and of course we look at the criteria. I have listened carefully today and in our discussions with my hon. Friend about the criteria, and we are asking Ofgem not to make a cursory comparison, but to establish forensically whether these charges are genuinely cost-reflective.

Feed-in Tariffs

Debate between Robert Halfon and Lord Barker of Battle

Thursday 9th February 2012 Commons Chamber

[Gregory Barker]

I am afraid that the hon. Gentleman is talking absolute rubbish. We in DECC have really good engagement with the industry. The stakeholders will be in my office in about an hour and a half, and I look forward to a sensible, grown-up, constructive discussion with them.

[Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)]

I was grateful to the Minister for arranging a meeting just before Christmas to discuss the Harlow community scheme, which was to benefit 1,500 houses by providing them with solar panels. Will he explain how his new, revised proposals will help to ensure that the scheme continues?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robert Halfon and Lord Barker of Battle

Thursday 10th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)]

T5. Is the Minister aware of ECCO, a not-for-profit co-operative in Harlow that recycles textiles and batteries? Will he visit ECCO with me to see this important example of the big society, and to see whether such a contribution to recycling could be rolled out across the country?

[The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker)]

It is important to take a holistic approach to these green and sustainability questions. My hon. Friend is a fantastic champion of the big society in Harlow, and I would be delighted to go there with him to see what is being achieved there.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robert Halfon and Lord Barker of Battle

Thursday 16th December 2010 Commons Chamber

[Gregory Barker]

I am very sorry to hear about the redundancies at Eaga. That is very regrettable. Eaga still has to fulfil about 70,000 jobs this winter, between now and the end of the financial year. However, we need to get more investment into the energy efficiency sector in the long term, which means opening it up to the private sector and getting in billions not hundreds of millions. The green deal is the way forward to achieve that.

[Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.