Oral Answers to Questions

Wendy Morton Excerpts

Tuesday 15th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Michael Shanks]

I regularly engage with Ministers in the Northern Irish Executive, including in the Department for the Economy, which has responsibility for energy policy in Northern Ireland, and we discuss a range of issues. We are happy to support the Northern Irish Executive in any way we can, either with technology or through rolling out the regulatory framework. We are really excited about the opportunities posed by SMRs and are happy to discuss that in Northern Ireland as well.

[Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce industrial electricity prices.

[Sir John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)]

25. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce industrial electricity prices.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Miatta Fahnbulleh)]

We understand that high energy bills are a challenge for businesses, and particularly energy-intensive companies. We are clear that, in the long term, our mission to deliver clean power is the only way to bear down on that cost. But while we get there, we are providing the support needed through the British industrial competitiveness scheme and the supercharger scheme, protecting over 7,000 businesses.

[Wendy Morton]

The UK’s industrial electricity prices are among the highest in Europe, and it is quite clear that the Government’s current policies are failing manufacturing businesses in constituencies such as mine. Will the Minister commit to introducing support that genuinely reduces electricity costs for manufacturers, including by tackling high wholesale energy prices, rather than prolonging the uncertainty, which sadly puts local jobs at risk?

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

I gently remind the right hon. Member that industrial energy prices rocketed on the Conservatives’ watch. Gas prices for non-domestic companies went up by 170%, which was catastrophic for UK plc. We are taking action to support businesses through our sprint to clean power and, critically, the measures we are providing through the British industrial competitiveness scheme. Those measures have been supported by Make UK, the British Chambers of Commerce, UK Steel and the Chemical Industries Association. The Conservatives dithered, delayed and did nothing to support businesses; we are cracking on and getting on with the job.