Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he last met with representatives of the energy intensive industry to discuss the disparity between (a) UK carbon prices under the carbon price floor and (b) such prices in the rest of Europe.

The costs of the Carbon Price Floor on business are largely indirect, passed through in bills by their electricity supplier. However, the Department for Energy and Climate Change’s Prices and Bills report estimates that in 2014 the Carbon Price Floor increased the price per MWh of electricity for the average uncompensated energy intensive business by £4. The Government pays compensation to the most electricity intensive industries which reduces the price impact for the average compensated energy intensive business in 2014 to £2 per MWh.

My Department keeps the risk of carbon leakage under regular review.