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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that gas and electricity suppliers are not increasing customer direct debits more than is necessary as a result of the increasing cost of energy.

The Government expects all energy suppliers to treat their customers fairly. Ofgem, as the independent regulator, has recently launched a consultation to strengthen the existing requirements on the level of direct debits licensed energy suppliers can charge customers, according to the best and most current information available to them, to ensure credit balances do not become excessive.