Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2017 to Question 63711, what measures the Government has put in place to prohibit energy suppliers from charging households upfront for the costs of smart meters and their installation.

Gas Supply Licence Condition (SLC) 35.7-35.9[1] and Electricity SLC 41.7-41.9[2] put in place measures to prevent suppliers from charging for domestic smart meter installation costs in a one-off or upfront sum.

[1] https://epr.ofgem.gov.uk/Content/Documents/Gas%20supply%20standard%20licence%20conditions%20consolidated%20-%20Current%20Version.pdf

[2] https://epr.ofgem.gov.uk//Content/Documents/Electricity%20Supply%20Standard%20Licence%20Conditions%20Consolidated%20-%20Current%20Version.pdf