Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Energy Suppliers: Winter Support for Consumers

Tuesday 4 February 2025 · 7 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 5 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial team will meet GMB officials, Ceramics UK, and David Williams to discuss job losses and support for businesses.
  • The Minister agrees that unlocking clean energy sources is crucial for long-term financial security for households.
  • The government aims to tackle energy affordability by exploring mechanisms like a social tariff to insulate people during the transition to decarbonising heat.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 David Williams Lab Stoke-on-Trent North
Employment Climate Energy
Context

Royal Stafford, a historic ceramics manufacturer in Stoke-on-Trent North, went into liquidation the previous day leading to job losses. The ceramics sector faces high energy bills and other pressures.

Question

Sadly, only yesterday more than 80 workers in my constituency lost their jobs when Royal Stafford, a historic ceramics manufacturer for nearly 200 years, went into liquidation—a devastating blow for the workers and their families. Will the Secretary of State meet GMB officials, Ceramics UK and me as a matter of urgency to explain how the Government will support the ceramics sector, protect jobs, and tackle the serious difficulties that energy-intensive industries face in decarbonising?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Miatta Fahnbulleh)

My hon. Friend is right to point out that we need to reduce energy bills for businesses, including those in energy-intensive industries. I was sorry to hear about the job losses in his constituency, and one of the ministerial team will be happy to meet him. I must add, however, that this is exactly why we are running our clean power mission. We see that the route through which we can drive down bills is breaking our dependence on global fossil fuel markets over which we have no control, in order to take ourselves off the rollercoaster of price rises and price hikes that is so damaging to businesses.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific details about meeting with GMB officials, Ceramics UK, and protecting jobs were not addressed.

How: Working On

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Q2 Rachel Hopkins Lab Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Climate Energy
Context

The last Government left the country exposed to unpredictable fossil fuel markets, leading to high energy bills for many households.

Question

Many households in my constituency are struggling with high energy bills because the last Government left us exposed to the unpredictable fossil fuel market. Does the Minister agree that the only way in which to protect residents in my constituency and across the country permanently is to unlock clean power that we control here in the UK?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Miatta Fahnbulleh)

My hon. Friend is completely right. Every solar panel and every wind turbine that we put up takes us closer to delivering the energy security that we need to achieve financial security for families. That, combined with our drive to upgrade people’s homes, is what will protect households in the long term. It is the central mission of this team, this Department and this Government, and it is why we are running at clean power by 2030.

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Q3 Polly Billington Lab East Thanet
Energy Environment
Context

There is a need for long-term solutions to insulate people against the impacts of energy price increases.

Question

In anticipation of the energy market reform that the last Government neglected to carry out, I look forward to hearing confirmation from my colleagues on the Front Bench that we may be able to find a way of insulating people in the long term—for the transition to decarbonising heat, for example. Can my hon. Friend confirm that, in future, we may be able to have a social tariff that protects the most vulnerable from the excesses of energy prices?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Miatta Fahnbulleh)

I agree with my hon. Friend that we urgently need to tackle the challenge of affordability. Energy is not a luxury good; it is foundational, and for too many people, this essential good is not affordable. A social tariff is one mechanism of responding to this, and there are different ways in which that can be implemented. We are looking at all the options, to ensure that families can get this essential good at more affordable prices.

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Q4 Andrew Murrison Con South West Wiltshire
Energy Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

People living in rural locations face challenges with older and colder housing stock that often lacks gas, leading to higher energy costs.

Question

People living in rural locations disproportionately live in housing stock that is older and colder and does not have gas. In the Minister’s discussions with energy suppliers, will she please not forget to talk to the suppliers of liquefied petroleum gas and oil, since many of our constituents—particularly with the withdrawal of the winter fuel payment—are suffering a great deal?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Miatta Fahnbulleh)

We are very alive to the issues in rural communities, and we are working to ensure that there are solutions for all types of homes. We had record applications to our boiler upgrade scheme for heat pumps, a large number of which were from rural households. We are very clear as we roll out our plan that there will be a solution for every single household, so that everyone can benefit from homes that are warmer and cheaper to run.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific details about talking with liquefied petroleum gas and oil suppliers were not addressed.

How: Working On

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Q5 Calum Miller Lib Dem Bicester and Woodstock
Energy
Context

Energy outages are a concern for many constituents, particularly in educational settings like schools.

Question

This winter, many of my constituents are concerned about energy outages. Last Thursday, the Cooper school and Glory Farm school had to close for the entire day when they lost all electricity supply. Will the Minister meet me to discuss how we can ensure the grid has the capacity to avoid these outages, which are so damaging to homes, businesses and critical public services?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Miatta Fahnbulleh)

Yes, we will meet the hon. Gentleman. We are working to ensure that outages are not the norm. This is obviously linked to weather issues that we are having to respond to, but the team has been working to ensure that households are not put in a difficult situation, and when they are, that we are responding as quickly as possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific details about meeting to discuss grid capacity were not provided.

How: Working On

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Q6 Dave Doogan SNP Angus and Perthshire Glens
Scotland Energy
Context

Labour's promise to cut energy bills by £300 has not been realized, while energy bills continue to rise.

Question

What would help bill payers is the £300 cut to energy bills that the Labour party promised in its manifesto. Instead, bills went up £149 in October, they went up £21 in January, and they are going up again by £99 in April. Can the Minister explain where the source of this departmental ineptitude lies, and would she like to apologise to the people of these islands for writing cheques that her party cannot cash?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Miatta Fahnbulleh)

The hon. Member explains exactly why we need to wean ourselves off fossil fuel markets. That is why it is critical that we deliver clean power by 2030—that is the central mission of this team, and we are running at it. The Scottish Government do have the levers to protect households in fuel poverty. Before the hon. Member criticises us, they should get their house in order and get on with the job.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific apology or explanation for writing cheques that cannot be cashed was not provided.

How: Shifting Blame

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Q7 Full Name
Energy
Context

The government has a manifesto commitment to reduce energy bills by £300, addressing the issue of record high energy costs under previous administrations.

Question

We have a manifesto commitment to reduce energy bills by £300. We are doing everything we can. We have a legacy of record high energy bills. How is the government ensuring that households benefit from this commitment given the past crisis overseen by the Conservative party?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Miatta Fahnbulleh)

We are running at clean power because we think that is the route to delivering lower energy costs. We are upgrading people’s homes because we know that is the route to delivering homes that are warmer and cleaner to run. We are doing everything we can. The Conservative party oversaw a crisis for households, so before its Members start lecturing us on what we should do, they should be hanging their heads in shame.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide specific details or commitments on how the government is ensuring household benefits from the £300 reduction in energy bills as promised.

How: Hanging Their Heads In Shame

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