Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Cost of Energy: Dalmarnock

24 October 2023 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Alison Thewliss SNP Glasgow Central

Energy

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Alison Thewliss raised concerns about cost of energy: dalmarnock in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • The MP for Glasgow Central highlighted the energy cost crisis affecting constituents in Dalmarnock.
  • The Minister acknowledged the challenges and noted the government spent nearly 40 billion last winter on support measures.
  • The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) and the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) were mentioned as key support measures.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Alison Thewliss SNP Glasgow Central

The MP for Glasgow Central highlighted the significant energy cost crisis impacting her constituents in Dalmarnock, detailing how families struggle with soaring prices and the inadequacies of government support measures. She emphasised that while some relief was provided through schemes like the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS), many residents did not receive the assistance they needed due to issues such as unclaimed vouchers and complex metre systems. Thewliss stressed the need for targeted future support, especially considering Dalmarnock's diverse housing types and socioeconomic challenges.

Other contributors (1)
  • [Unspecified MP]

    An unnamed MP briefly commented on the difficulties faced by people with prepayment metres, noting that energy companies were profiting from the crisis while forcing such metres on indebted individuals.

Government Response

Amanda Solloway

The Minister acknowledged the challenges and thanked Thewliss for highlighting them. She noted that the government had spent nearly £40 billion last winter protecting households from high energy bills, including a discount of £400 per household via the EBSS scheme. The minister detailed various support measures implemented such as the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG), which subsidized gas and electricity costs. She also highlighted additional welfare benefits provided to vulnerable households, like the £150 Warm Home Discount. Solloway emphasised ongoing regulatory changes, including new rules by Ofgem for better customer service, extended energy efficiency schemes like the ECO and GBIS, and plans to protect heat network customers through consumer protection legislation.

▸ Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy