Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of rising electricity costs on the financial resilience of small businesses in Cumbria.

The government recognises that volatile energy prices remain a concern for small businesses in Cumbria and across the country. We are monitoring the impact of international energy markets on businesses and stand ready to respond.

The Chancellor recently announced the government would cut energy bills by up to 25% for over 10,000 manufacturers from April 2027 through the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS). BICS will be expanded by 40%, with one-off additional payment in 2027 rolled out to an extra 3,000 businesses, from 7,000 to 10,000 businesses.

Government is also working with Ofgem to reform the non‑domestic energy market, improving transparency and complaint handling.