Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to obtain information on the number of warrants issued by (a) magistrates in England, (b) magistrates in Wales, (c) magistrates in Northern Ireland and (d) by sheriffs in Scotland to allow energy companies to forcibly enter properties to install prepayment meters.

The judicial systems in both Scotland and Northern Ireland are devolved, and the Ministry of Justice holds no data in respect of applications made in those jurisdictions.

We do hold information on the number of warrants applied for and granted. I refer the honourable Member to the answer given on 18 January 2023 to Question UIN 122504 where I published data on warrants from January 2020 to December 2022.

Data by energy supplier on the number of warrants granted and refused following an application by an energy supplier could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Data on a local authority and constituency level is not held.

The Government is committed to supporting all households with the Energy Price Guarantee - saving a typical household c.£900 this winter – plus the £400 discount on energy bills. The most vulnerable households will get £1,200, plus other cost of living support delivered via benefits and pensions.