William Bain
Main Page: William Bain (Labour - Glasgow North East)
Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)
2. What steps he is taking to improve competition in energy markets.
Mr William Bain (Glasgow North East) (Lab)
3. What steps he is taking to improve competition in energy markets.
Jim McGovern (Dundee West) (Lab)
4. What steps he is taking to improve competition in energy markets.
Mr Davey
I think the hon. Lady ought to talk to the leader of her party because when he was doing my job he said, after many years of increases in gas and electricity prices that were higher and faster than they have been under this Government:
“As I have said before in the House, I am not in favour of referring these matters to the Competition Commission.”—[Official Report, 25 February 2010; Vol. 506, c. 444.]
When the Leader of the Opposition had the chance to take this measure, he did not.
Mr Bain
May I draw the Secretary of State’s attention to the fact that the Institute for Public Policy Research has said that increasing competition in the energy market will produce efficiency savings which could mean £70 a year being knocked off the average bill? Why will he not back Labour’s plan to break the domination of the big six, require them to sell power into a pool, get new businesses into the market and cut bills for consumers and businesses?
Mr Davey
Some Labour Members are suffering from amnesia. It was the Labour party that created the big six. It was this coalition that deregulated to enable new independent suppliers to come into the market—11 new suppliers coming in since 2010, and there has been a big increase in the number of customers for the smaller suppliers, who are taking on the big six. It is this party and this coalition Government who have been the force behind competition, while Labour Members are the friends of the big six.