Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tom Rutland and Rachel Reeves

Tuesday 28th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

T8. The Chancellor will have seen the news this morning that BP’s profits have more than doubled, undoubtedly driven by the conflict in the middle east. Does she agree that this shows the value of having a windfall tax at this point in time?

[Rachel Reeves]

The oil and gas sector will play an important part in our energy mix for many years to come, and we need to support it, as we are doing through tiebacks, for example. But it is important that the energy profits levy remains in place for now, because during this conflict we will be able to capture the profits made in the UK through the windfall tax. The Conservatives and Reform oppose this tax, which would just mean even higher profits for oil and gas companies. As my hon. Friend knows, we are also delinking gas and electricity prices by increasing the electricity generator levy, so that no energy company can make excess profits because of the conflict.