To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of (a) the advantages of voltage optimisation and management in saving electricity and (b) how many new electricity generating power stations would be unnecessary if such optimisation were installed throughout the UK; whether...

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of (a) the advantages of voltage optimisation and management in saving electricity and (b) how many new electricity generating power stations would be unnecessary if such optimisation were installed throughout the UK; whether...

I have been very rapid in my reaction to the EDF announcement and I have been pressing the energy companies and saying that they need to act to inform their customers about the cheapest tariffs. The House last debated this topic in October, when I said that simply expressing concern...

I have been very rapid in my reaction to the EDF announcement and I have been pressing the energy companies and saying that they need to act to inform their customers about the cheapest tariffs. The House last debated this topic in October, when I said that simply expressing concern...

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I shall try to take on board your injunction for brevity. Last year, we saw a big energy price rise, which came on top of increasing petrol and food costs. With the cost of gas imports now falling, I welcome today's announcement from EDF, which...

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I shall try to take on board your injunction for brevity. Last year, we saw a big energy price rise, which came on top of increasing petrol and food costs. With the cost of gas imports now falling, I welcome today's announcement from EDF, which...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the concern about prepayment meters. It is one thing that we have been looking at closely. Thankfully, people on prepayment meters are not paying more than was previously the case, and that is a step forward. I am sure there is more...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the concern about prepayment meters. It is one thing that we have been looking at closely. Thankfully, people on prepayment meters are not paying more than was previously the case, and that is a step forward. I am sure there is more...

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for raising that issue, which I shall address in greater detail. Ofgem is working closely with us on this and I think it is tackling many of these issues. I will give further detail on that. Following the consumer energy summit, at...

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for raising that issue, which I shall address in greater detail. Ofgem is working closely with us on this and I think it is tackling many of these issues. I will give further detail on that. Following the consumer energy summit, at...

Park homes will be eligible for the green deal. We in the ministerial team are very keen to ensure that park homes, which are often the Cinderella of the housing stock, are looked after, and we are trying our best to ensure that they are eligible for the full array...

Park homes will be eligible for the green deal. We in the ministerial team are very keen to ensure that park homes, which are often the Cinderella of the housing stock, are looked after, and we are trying our best to ensure that they are eligible for the full array...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question. Shale gas is potentially an exciting development that could bring enormous prosperity to the parts of the country where it has been found, such as Lancashire. Provided that all the environmental safeguards are properly in place, it presents the opportunity...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question. Shale gas is potentially an exciting development that could bring enormous prosperity to the parts of the country where it has been found, such as Lancashire. Provided that all the environmental safeguards are properly in place, it presents the opportunity...

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend on the need to continue the whole process of clarifying energy bills and making them simpler so that they are absolutely transparent and people find it easier to switch. That applies to all age groups. Compared to those of us in our 50s,...

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend on the need to continue the whole process of clarifying energy bills and making them simpler so that they are absolutely transparent and people find it easier to switch. That applies to all age groups. Compared to those of us in our 50s,...

I agree with the hon. Gentleman. Sadly, during tough times people tend to fall behind with energy bills and so can be moved on to prepayment meters. One of the things that it is very important the Department does is try to ensure that those who no longer need to...

I agree with the hon. Gentleman. Sadly, during tough times people tend to fall behind with energy bills and so can be moved on to prepayment meters. One of the things that it is very important the Department does is try to ensure that those who no longer need to...

I will let the right hon. Lady know the information as soon as we have it. When it is available, I will write to her. It is important to get the message across that households can save money not only by switching supplier, but by using less energy. Insulating lofts...

I will let the right hon. Lady know the information as soon as we have it. When it is available, I will write to her. It is important to get the message across that households can save money not only by switching supplier, but by using less energy. Insulating lofts...

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point. One of the first things I did on becoming Secretary of State was to ask for a serious look at the issue. It is unfortunately much more complicated than one might suppose at first glance, not least because there is such an enormous...

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point. One of the first things I did on becoming Secretary of State was to ask for a serious look at the issue. It is unfortunately much more complicated than one might suppose at first glance, not least because there is such an enormous...

I can only recommend that the hon. Lady look at switching energy supplier to see whether she can find a better deal. We know from Ofgem that people can save substantial sums of money by doing that—£200 a year. Her particular case is obviously regrettable.

I can only recommend that the hon. Lady look at switching energy supplier to see whether she can find a better deal. We know from Ofgem that people can save substantial sums of money by doing that—£200 a year. Her particular case is obviously regrettable.

My hon. Friend makes a good and important point. People who are off-grid have traditionally had to deal with substantially higher costs than those who are on grid, and that continues to be the case. The case for regulating off-grid is weak, because as long as the market is competitive,...

My hon. Friend makes a good and important point. People who are off-grid have traditionally had to deal with substantially higher costs than those who are on grid, and that continues to be the case. The case for regulating off-grid is weak, because as long as the market is competitive,...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The story of energy policy under the previous Government is one of stopping and starting, and of failing to face up to the need for many years to deal with the problem of renewing our energy infrastructure. But we are not dithering or delaying...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The story of energy policy under the previous Government is one of stopping and starting, and of failing to face up to the need for many years to deal with the problem of renewing our energy infrastructure. But we are not dithering or delaying...

I very happily exempt the right hon. Gentleman from my strictures about the previous Government's policy, because when he was in the post of Energy Minister he certainly took some tough decisions, but sadly the record over the 13 years is not one of which Labour Members can be proud....

I very happily exempt the right hon. Gentleman from my strictures about the previous Government's policy, because when he was in the post of Energy Minister he certainly took some tough decisions, but sadly the record over the 13 years is not one of which Labour Members can be proud....

The hon. Gentleman's constituency is clearly a perfect place for the green deal, because the ECO subsidy will in part subsidise solid-wall homes with solid-wall insulation. That will be a very substantial step forward for many people who have not been in a position to benefit from energy efficiency because...

The hon. Gentleman's constituency is clearly a perfect place for the green deal, because the ECO subsidy will in part subsidise solid-wall homes with solid-wall insulation. That will be a very substantial step forward for many people who have not been in a position to benefit from energy efficiency because...

I am today publishing a technical update to the electricity market reform White Paper ““Planning our electric future: a white paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity””¹. The update complements the White Paper published in July 2011 and follows the release of the carbon plan on 1 December 2011, which...

I am today publishing a technical update to the electricity market reform White Paper ““Planning our electric future: a white paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity””¹. The update complements the White Paper published in July 2011 and follows the release of the carbon plan on 1 December 2011, which...

Statement on reform of the electricity market.

Statement on reform of the electricity market.

The right hon. Gentleman makes a very good point; he is expert in this area. The Energy Bill, which we hope will achieve Royal Assent in the autumn when we come back from the recess, contains provisions that ensure that we are able to be informed about these measures and...

The right hon. Gentleman makes a very good point; he is expert in this area. The Energy Bill, which we hope will achieve Royal Assent in the autumn when we come back from the recess, contains provisions that ensure that we are able to be informed about these measures and...

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. We continue to monitor that issue and are discussing it with Ofgem. We will bring forward any appropriate measures when we have considered the matter.

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. We continue to monitor that issue and are discussing it with Ofgem. We will bring forward any appropriate measures when we have considered the matter.