Annual Energy Statement

Tessa Munt Excerpts

Thursday 31st October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Davey]

The hon. Lady should catch up, because the Ofgem reforms and the retail market review will put those people on the lowest tariff, which was backed by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. But she does have a point: some people are not using switching—not using the markets and competition—and some of them are older people. I take that issue seriously, and it is one of the reasons we want to use co-operative principles for collective switching, and why I am using third sector voluntary groups such as Citizens Advice and Age UK to deliver face-to-face advice to help exactly the people she is talking about.

[Tessa Munt (Wells) (LD)]

The Secretary of State will agree that the best way to cut fuel bills is to improve the energy efficiency of households. Would he care to comment on the fact that two of the big six energy companies—npower and British Gas—blame the energy company obligation, a measure designed to help the fuel-poor to cut their bills, for the increase in prices next year?

[Mr Davey]

I have been rather bemused by some of the statements from the big six, especially on the environmental costs. Sometimes their numbers just do not add up. That is why we are calling for more transparency and we are acting on more transparency.