Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Energy Bills: Small Businesses

Tuesday 10 February 2026 · 2 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

  • Cat Eccles inquired about steps to ensure the accuracy of small businesses' energy bills due to concerns over mis-selling by brokers.
  • The Minister confirmed plans to strengthen laws against predatory sales tactics used by rogue energy brokers.
  • The Minister highlighted the use of smart meters as a key method to ensure accurate energy billing for businesses.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Cat Eccles Lab Stourbridge
Energy Business & Trade
Context

Small businesses across the constituency have been facing issues with inaccurate and mis-sold commercial energy contracts.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure the accuracy of small businesses' energy bills. Small businesses in my constituency are being mis-sold commercial energy contracts by brokers. A business in Lye was locked into a three-year contract paying more than double the market rate, and an independent café had to close due to £1,500 monthly energy bills.

Answer from Martin McCluskey

I am sorry to hear about the experience of businesses in my hon. Friend's constituency. The short answer to her question is yes, we will strengthen the law in this area. Rogue energy brokers have been allowed to use predatory sales tactics for too long to take advantage of customers.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Cap on business tariffs

How: Once Parliamentary Time Allows

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Q2 Cat Eccles Lab Stourbridge
Energy
Context

One in three non-domestic premises are not using smart meters, which record accurate usage.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure the accuracy of small businesses' energy bills. One way to ensure accuracy is by using a smart meter; however, only two thirds of non-domestic premises have them.

Answer from Martin McCluskey

One of the best ways to ensure accurate billing is by using a smart meter. Smart meters record energy use in every half-hour period, allowing bills based on actual rather than estimated usage.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Additional support for adoption

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