Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Energy Prices: Economic Growth

Tuesday 14 October 2025 · 3 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • High and volatile energy prices are bad for economic growth, reducing consumer spending and business competitiveness.
  • Hundreds of thousands of jobs will be created by the clean power revolution by 2030.
  • The Labour party's comparison of renewable energy costs to gas plant operating costs is described as nonsense by the Minister.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Stephen Gethins SNP Arbroath and Broughty Ferry
Economy Energy
Context

High energy prices in the UK have raised concerns about their impact on consumers' finances and business competitiveness. Stephen Gethins highlights that his region, despite being rich in energy resources, has some of the highest energy bills in Europe.

Question

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of energy prices on economic growth. The Minister and I come from one of the most energy-rich parts of Europe, yet its consumers have among the highest energy bills in Europe. That drives up fuel poverty and hits the cost of living crisis. Labour promised to bring down bills by £300; they will have gone up by about the same amount. Does the Minister understand why people are so frustrated with the Government?

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

High and volatile energy prices are bad for growth, take money out of consumers’ pockets and make our businesses less competitive. Through our mission to achieve clean power by 2030, we are taking the country off the rollercoaster of global fossil fuel prices and have set a route to home-grown cheap and greener energy. Like the hon. Member, I understand people’s frustration when they look at their energy bills each month.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a specific assessment or data on economic impact of high prices; acknowledged public sentiment without addressing policy specifics.

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Q2 Catherine West Lab Hornsey and Friern Barnet
Employment Climate Energy
Context

There is an expectation that the transition to a green economy will create numerous jobs. Catherine West seeks clarity on the government's projection for employment growth.

Question

What is the Government’s estimate of the number of jobs that will be created in the UK by 2030? Is it true to say that it will be triple the number in the old economy?

Answer from Martin McCluskey

Hundreds of thousands of jobs will come from the clean power revolution. That is why it is so important that we push ahead with it and do not adopt the tactics of the Conservative party, or their friends on the Back Benches. We need to push ahead with clean power in order to unlock those hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a specific figure or data on job creation; spoke generally about importance and benefits of green economy without addressing numerical estimates directly.

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Q3 Claire Coutinho Con East Surrey
Economy Energy
Context

Labour's proposed allocation round 7 of the renewables auction has sparked debate over its cost efficiency and long-term impact on consumer bills. Claire Coutinho questions the rationale behind such a proposal.

Question

I welcome the new Ministers to the Front Bench. On the first day of recess, away from scrutiny, the Labour party published the prices for its allocation round 7 of the renewables auction. Labour used to say that renewables were nine times cheaper, but the prices that the Secretary of State has said he is willing to pay are 40% higher than the current cost of electricity—they are the highest prices in a decade—and he has extended the contract length to 20 years. Those are not just the prices that we will be paying; they are the prices that our children will be paying. Will the Minister explain how locking us into higher prices for longer will cut bills by £300?

Answer from Martin McCluskey

The right hon. Lady’s comparison is absolute nonsense, and she knows it. She compares the cost of building and operating new renewables, which is what the contract for difference relates to, with the cost of operating—not building—gas plants. Once we make a fair comparison, the truth is that renewables are cheaper to build. We will take no lessons on energy policy from the Conservative party, which abandoned its commitment to clean energy at its party conference.

Not addressed: Did not address cost implications or bill reduction goals; instead attacked Labour's methodology and the opposition's stance on renewables.

How: Attacked Opponent, Changed Subject

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