The minister did not directly address the specific question but highlighted that this transitional support scheme aims to provide certainty while balancing business needs with financial prudence.

The minister did not provide a direct answer but mentioned additional investment aimed at reducing overall energy use and emphasised that firms need to adapt and invest in energy efficiency.

The minister did not provide a detailed response but reiterated that the new energy bills discount scheme includes targeted support based on price thresholds designed to benefit trade-intensive sectors.

The minister did not address this question directly but emphasised that transitional support aims to provide certainty and encourage adaptation while reducing universal support over time.

The Minister responded that he is making a statement based on the review, which involved consulting key stakeholders. He defended the government's support measures worth £18 billion over six months. Regarding hospitality, the minister mentioned frozen alcohol duties and increased business rate discounts. He also highlighted Britain’s progress in wind energy production and emphasised balancing fiscal prudence with supporting businesses.

The minister acknowledged the importance of avoiding price inflation but noted that international trade-exposed companies face unique challenges in passing on high prices. He emphasised the government’s support for such sectors with targeted measures.

There has been 18 months of support for non-domestic accounts for businesses. The Government announced a new long-term commitment to drive improvements in energy efficiency with an ambition to reduce final energy consumption by 15% by 2030 against 747, c. 4MC.] Perhaps that is understandable, but compared with any normal fiscal event, it remains a very significant intervention.

My right hon. and learned Friend asks an excellent question. Through the review, we have heard of issues in and around the pricing and availability of non-domestic tariffs... Ofgem is launching a deeper review of the market.

It is a good question. As the hon. Gentleman is the Chair of the Select Committee, I am happy to engage with him and go through some of those categories. There are important examples where we will look to see what we can do to provide assistance.

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for being an absolute champion for his constituency... We will look at whether there are abuses and what can be done about it.

The hon. Lady asks a pertinent question... Payments should be automatic.

My hon. Friend is a stalwart champion of the steel sector, which I know is so important to him and his constituents. On the additional discounted support for energy and trade-intensive industries that we have announced today, international comparators were a factor in considering the greater generosity of that support.

I am not aware of what has happened to the letter or where it is, but I am more than happy to look into that as a matter of urgency and to ask my officials to chase it up. We will write to the hon. Lady as soon as we can.

My right hon. Friend asks an important question. Like him, as an MP representing an East Anglian arable constituency, I am aware of the importance of such businesses to the wider agricultural sector. As I said to the hon. Member for Bristol East (Kerry McCarthy), we will be publishing a list on gov.uk showing those energy and trade-intensive industries that are eligible for the higher level of support; I refer him to that. I am also happy to write to him to confirm it exactly, because within one sector there will be a range of different types of industry that may qualify.

All I can say is that I suspect pubs did get a boost from the World cup. I wish it had run for longer, but I am afraid that is beyond my control. We very much enjoyed the tournament none the less. I understand the challenges facing hospitality. In my statement on our last but one sitting day of 2022, I announced the six-month extension of the freeze on alcohol duty. This has been a particularly challenging time for pubs. As the hon. Lady knows, we are in the middle of the £18 billion EBRS support, which has helped pubs in particular. We have been clear that we have continued what is effectively a universal scheme, notwithstanding the specific extra support for the energy and trade-intensive sectors. UKHospitality has been included in that consultation. That has happened at an official level, but also through the Chancellor and me, with the voluntary sector and others. We continue to engage very closely with UKHospitality through our Department, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and others on those matters.

My right hon. Friend makes a very good point about how broad the impact is of rising energy bills. She used the phrase “cliff edge”. That is precisely why we have continued with a universal scheme. Yes, I am happy to confirm that there will be support for every single business, charity and institute in our public sector, but there will be additional support if they are in the energy and trade-intensive sector. The reason for that is the exposure to internationally competitive pressures and how much harder it is for them to pass on those prices. We recognise the energy challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises in every single sector. We are doing what we can, but balancing that against the need for fiscal prudence.

The hon. Gentleman raises a very important point. I would have to know the exact details, but, yes, I am more than happy to meet him. He will be aware that the care home could benefit from EBRS, which will become the energy bills discount scheme after March, but I stress that there are 900,000 in England, Scotland and Wales without a direct relationship with an energy supplier, such as care home and park home residents. This month they will be able to apply online for £400 of non-repayable help with their fuel bills.

My hon. Friend makes an important point. The first part of my answer may disappoint him, but I want to be clear. The additional support, particularly for manufacturing, is not just about energy intensity but trade intensity. There are two measures that determine if sectors are entitled to support: whether they are above the 80th percentile for energy intensity and the 60th percentile for trade intensity. So, it may be that the sector does not fit in that category. But that is why—I appreciate the support is less generous, but it is still significant—alongside the additional support for the intensive users, there will still be a universal scheme offering a discount from April this year to March next year.

I am grateful to the hon. and learned Lady for mentioning the charity in her constituency. As I said, I appreciate that the energy increase has been a challenge for every type of SME, charity and institution up and down the country. I am sorry to hear about the challenges for Gorgie city farm, which I have not had the pleasure of visiting but it sounds fascinating. Charities have shown huge resilience over the past two years and will continue to receive support with their energy bills from the latest iteration of the discount scheme. I emphasise that there is wider support to help them with their costs, including a reduction in VAT from 20% to 5% and an exclusion from the main rates of the climate change levy on some of the energy they use. The key point is that we are announcing a scheme that is still universal in nature and still includes charities. It is not as generous as before, but when we engaged with stakeholders about the £18 billion six-month scheme, what was interesting was the number of them who remarked that they had not expected that scheme to continue at that level of generosity. They could see the issue about sustainability for the taxpayer, which we all have to understand and address. It is in all our interests, and in the interests of every single business and charity, that this country has sustainable public finances.

It is very timely that my right hon. Friend raises that point. He will have heard me mention to the former Lord Chancellor, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for South Swindon (Sir Robert Buckland), that the Chancellor has today written to Ofgem to encourage it to update him as soon as possible and as a matter of urgency about the review of the non-domestic market, because we are hearing about many issues with it. A key point I will be feeding back is that colleagues on all sides of the House have experienced cases in their constituencies relating to deposits being asked for, deals being rejected and what will happen at the end of fixed rates. There is clearly work to be done and that is why the Chancellor has written as he has. I will ensure the letter is published on gov.uk along with the other documents.

I understand the hon. Gentleman's concerns about residents in apartment blocks who have not received support yet due to a specific category issue. A £600 payment is going out in Northern Ireland, but here it will be £400 due to lower usage of heating oil except in rural areas. The website for applications should be open this month and I encourage the hon. Gentleman to write with case details.

My right hon. Friend is correct; long-term solutions involve increasing domestic energy security through renewables and North sea transition. Businesses can also benefit from the £315 million industrial energy transformation fund, the £450 million boiler upgrade scheme, and several capital allowances for energy efficiency investments.

That sounds like an interesting idea and I would be happy to meet the right hon. Lady to further discuss it.

My hon. Friend's point about duration and international competitiveness is well-taken. The £18 billion scheme now extends to 12 months, which provides much-needed certainty for the industry.

Sub-post offices will receive less generous support as part of being fiscally responsible. However, it is still significant and includes those sectors exposed to international competition.

My hon. Friend is right, and it should be live on gov.uk today. I will tweet the exact address in due course.

We are aware of cases where domestic customers receive non-domestic metre discounts via the EBRS scheme. We are developing options to ensure they receive support in line with other domestic users after April.

As announced at the autumn statement, we provide £150 support for UK non-domestic consumers off the gas grid who use alternative fuels. We are monitoring further support needs.

I assure the hon. Lady that those organisations would at least qualify for the universal scheme. From 1 April until 31 March next year, all eligible non-domestic customers will see a unit discount of up to £6.97 per megawatt hour applied to their gas bills and a unit discount of up to £19.61 to their electricity bills.

My hon. Friend is a champion for the ceramics sector, and I know how important it is to the Potteries and his constituency. If he looks at SIC code 23, he will see a range of ceramics industries covered.

Yes, food processors would be included and support will be given to UK non-domestic customers including those in Northern Ireland.

Like my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Jack Brereton), my hon. Friend is a champion for that incredibly important industry in his constituency. I entirely understand that there has been great anxiety about the prevailing level of energy costs, and we hope that this package will provide vital help.

The hon. Gentleman is right about the need to be swift. I have responded to a number of Members by referring to the letter to Ofgem that the Chancellor was sending today, asking it to produce an urgent update on the review of the non-domestic energy market.

I understand why colleagues are concerned and I have been clear that this remains generous support but is not as generous as it might be. Significant funds are available to support efficiency.

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to raise these points. We have to take a balanced approach considering what support we can provide as well as the cost to the Exchequer.

The Ofgem review aims to ensure an effective non-domestic market for businesses. While rising energy prices impact businesses, the leader of the Labour party previously stated the end of 'big Government chequebook'. The scheme provides significant support with over 60% of £5.5 billion allocated for energy and trade-intensive industries.

This support remains generous for energy and trade-intensive industries in the UK; about £5.5 billion allocated will be used to support these sectors, including major manufacturing such as steel.

The hospitality sector is supported through the current six-month scheme of £18 billion. The Government's support includes reductions in alcohol duty to help pub businesses.

The £600 payment, combining £400 support for households and an alternative fuel payment, is being provided. The same support will be applied across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Businesses have benefited from current support until March. The new scheme provides 12 months of security, confirming that sub-post offices are included.

The scheme continues to support companies with higher tariffs when they fix while prices were higher. It provides 12 months of security, though it is not as generous due to cost considerations.

If there was no response to the business's correspondence with the Department, she can forward it so he can look into it.

The money from the energy profits levy supports the UK Treasury to help businesses across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Union's strength benefits all parts.

The hon. Gentleman's focus on reality is noted; however, it must be clarified that prior consultation on differential alcohol duties was ongoing for months before his question. Regarding ScanStone, I recommend checking gov.uk to see if the company qualifies under the Energy Intensive Industries Support Scheme (EIIS), which remains generous and could provide significant assistance.