Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
High household energy costs affect many South West Hertfordshire residents, leading to financial strain.
What steps his Department is taking to help reduce household energy bills. In my constituency, 3,199 households currently experience fuel poverty due to high energy costs, and costs linked to the Government's clean energy agenda could mean that household bills are set to rise by at least £100 in the next four years.
That comes from a member of a party that learned no lessons from the last energy crisis. We will not make the same mistakes, which is why we are investing in clean power by 2030, which will drive down bills. Only today, we have seen the jobs benefit from the investment in clean energy, supporting 1.1 million jobs, 22,000 small businesses and £105 billion for our economy.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about the timeline was not addressed.
We Will Not Make The Same Mistakes
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The energy price cap increase costs each household an extra £18 every month, making it difficult for vulnerable families to afford basic necessities.
I note the measures that the Minister says the Government are taking, but in addition will the Government urgently bring forward a social tariff for vulnerable low-income households? The latest price cap is deeply concerning for many households who were already struggling before the Iran crisis hit.
The hon. Member makes an important point. The Government do not want anyone to be making the choice between heating and eating. That is why across Government we are working on a data sprint to work out how we can use household income date to ensure that we are targeting support at the right people.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about a social tariff was not addressed with concrete steps.
We Are Working On Data Sprint
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Energy bills have risen by 40% in real terms since 2021, and Ofgem predicts a further increase of 13%. Leicester South constituents are struggling with high costs.
My constituents in Leicester South were already suffering. Labour promised to fix that, but the cost of living is just getting worse. The Minister says that the only way to protect our country is through clean, home-grown power, so what is he doing to decouple the bills from gas prices and when will my constituents feel that?
The hon. Gentleman's constituents in Leicester will benefit from the decisions that we have already made. Those decisions take £150 off energy costs and extend the warm home discount and the warm homes plan, providing £15 billion of support. We are delinking and we are already taking action, as the Secretary of State announced last month.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about timing was not addressed.
We Are Delinking
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
High household energy costs affect many South West Hertfordshire residents, leading to financial strain.
What steps his Department is taking to help reduce household energy bills. In my constituency, 3,199 households currently experience fuel poverty due to high energy costs, and costs linked to the Government's clean energy agenda could mean that household bills are set to rise by at least £100 in the next four years.
That comes from a member of a party that learned no lessons from the last energy crisis. We will not make the same mistakes, which is why we are investing in clean power by 2030, which will drive down bills. Only today, we have seen the jobs benefit from the investment in clean energy, supporting 1.1 million jobs, 22,000 small businesses and £105 billion for our economy.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about the timeline was not addressed.
We Will Not Make The Same Mistakes
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
Commercial users in Na h-Eileanan an Iar are facing high costs due to rising heating oil prices, affecting industries such as distilleries and chemical plants.
I am told that if those who are eligible filled their tanks today, they would pay the equivalent of what they will be paying in February 2027. In my constituency we have big commercial users of kerosene oil, such as distilleries, seaweed manufacturing, tourist amenities and chemical plants. What measures is the Department taking to support commercial users of kerosene oil?
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for all the work he does to advocate for his constituents in Na h-Eileanan an Iar; I was pleased to visit him recently to see the impact that the increases in heating oil are having on his constituents. We are looking closely at the non-domestic heating oil market, and we will come forward with more proposals in due course.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about immediate measures was not addressed.
We Will Come Forward With More Proposals
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
Experts advise that decarbonising and reducing energy costs requires making electricity cheaper.
Every witness before the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, when we ask how to decarbonise and reduce bills, tells us, “Make electricity cheaper.” What further efforts will the Government make in reforming the energy market in order to achieve that?
My hon. Friend will know that we are taking action, which the Secretary of State announced, to further delink the cost of electricity from gas. As Ofgem said last week in relation to the price cap, we are already seeing the effects of that. Because of the additional renewable generation in the system, we are seeing the effects of that.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about further actions was not addressed with concrete steps.
We Are Taking Action
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
Residents in conservation areas face restrictions on installing secondary glazing, hindering efforts to reduce energy consumption.
A good way of reducing bills is to reduce consumption. In Germany, about 12 years ago, subsidised mortgages were introduced to help reduce the cost of installing triple glazing in houses. However, in conservation areas in this country, such as in my constituency, people are prevented from installing even secondary glazing, so they cannot reduce their bills, even though they would desperately like to. Will the Minister meet colleagues in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to get this issue sorted?
I would be more than happy to meet to discuss that. The warm homes plan—our £15 billion investment in home energy upgrades, which is the biggest in British history—will go a long way to achieving some of the ends that my hon. Friend describes.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about meeting with colleagues was not addressed directly.
I Would Be More Than Happy To Meet
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
One in three households in her constituency live in fuel poverty and face higher bills from July. She references the Ofgem energy price cap.
I am concerned about one in three households living in fuel poverty in my constituency, facing even higher bills from 1 July. Does the Minister agree that the Ofgem energy price cap should be frozen to provide universal support for households now and give people certainty in winter?
We are looking at all contingencies for winter support, but proposals must not make the same mistakes as previous Conservative policies that wrote blank cheques without considering costs. We will come forward with plans.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister avoided committing to freezing the Ofgem energy price cap specifically asked about by the MP.
Response accuracy
Q9
Direct Answer
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Context
Palatine library in Blackpool opened a pioneering eco community hub that has visited 1,300 homes and saved over £111,000 since July. The MP met with Luke Hollowell, a new trainee green doctor.
Blackpool's Palatine library is home to an innovative eco community hub providing free independent energy advice, visiting 1,300 homes and saving £111,000 in bills since July. I met a new green doctor named Luke Hollowell there who supports residents. Will the Minister meet me to discuss this hub's long-term sustainability and potential national roll-out?
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend's work on this issue, visit green doctor programmes, and am willing to meet him to discuss it further. Local support is central to the warm homes agency's advice provision across the country.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q10
Partial Answer
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Context
Labour promised to cut energy bills but saw them rise. The MP suggests scrapping carbon taxes, removing VAT from energy for three years, and ending renewable subsidies.
Despite Labour's promise to cut energy bills, we have seen increases. The Minister said he wants to reduce bills. Will he consider the Conservatives' cheap energy plan: scrapping carbon taxes, removing VAT on energy for three years, and ending legacy renewable subsidies?
The economic recklessness of uncosted promises is evident. Before this crisis, bills were going down until the war in Iran affected costs. The Government has invested record-breaking £90 billion in renewables for 23 million homes, deploying wind turbines and reactors that reduce energy bills.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not address the specific plan proposed by the MP.
Response accuracy