Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of enabling small businesses to renegotiate and exit fixed-term commercial energy contracts agreed during periods of peak wholesale prices.

The Government’s primary focus is on ensuring energy is affordable for all businesses, and that they are provided better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts.

That’s why the Government plans to directly regulate Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), by appointing Ofgem as the regulator when parliamentary time allows. A regulated TPI market will drive pro-consumer competition between energy brokers and deliver better outcomes for energy consumers, particularly charities and small businesses.