Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact on businesses of the replacement of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme by the Energy Bill Discount Scheme.

The review of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme assessed a range of qualitative and quantitative evidence from businesses and stakeholders on sectors that may be most affected by rising energy prices based on energy and trade intensity. The results were used alongside results from a BEIS business survey, inputs from Government departments, wider economic and public policy considerations. The outcome of the review informed the criteria used to determine eligibility for the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS).

The EBDS reflects the scale of change in the energy market since last September and strikes the right balance by supporting businesses over the next year, ensuring fiscal responsibility and limiting the taxpayer’s exposure to volatile energy markets.