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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ban the forced use of gas and electricity prepayment meters.

The Government expects energy suppliers to treat their customers fairly and reasonably, while doing all they can to support consumers struggling to pay their bills.

As part of Government’s efforts to increase transparency around prepayment meter installations, it has announced a five-point plan. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has written to energy suppliers calling on them voluntarily to stop the practice of forcibly installing prepayment meters. He has also called on suppliers to make greater effort to help the most vulnerable, such as offers of additional credit, debt forgiveness or tools such as debt advice.