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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 14 August 2025
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Displaying 1524 contributions

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Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 11 May 2022

Fiona Hyslop

The evidence that we have heard is that the action that has been taken already should be recognised, but rather than waiting to see what happens in the autumn, can measures be introduced now, as opposed to waiting until the winter, when we know that people will absolutely be suffering? That is the message that we have heard from other witnesses and we want to relay that to you.

The other issue is the energy market and how it has—or has not—performed. You seem to be quite optimistic about the state of it. That is not necessarily what we have heard from other witnesses. We heard yesterday from Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, which was clear that there are a number of measures that it would like to take. Your proposed energy security bill seems to be more focused on supply security than on consumer protection. Are you prepared to implement the measures that Ofgem proposes—it must have proposed them to you—to allow it to step in in certain areas and be more severe in ensuring that companies protect individual consumers, and to shift the balance from protecting suppliers to protecting consumers?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 10 May 2022

Fiona Hyslop

What about a legal obligation to replace a pre-payment meter?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 10 May 2022

Fiona Hyslop

In an energy price crisis, the balance might need to shift from the companies to the consumers. I will leave it there. I think that you said that you will get back to me.

Neil Kenward, as Brexit proceeds, the Great Britain and European Union energy markets remain closely aligned. I do not know whether you heard President Macron’s speech. He is looking at the potential for wider alignment of non-EU European countries, particularly on defence and energy. We heard from Scottish Power and other suppliers that sufficient domestic energy market reform to deliver what you have talked about could take place without the need for wider EU reform—although I suspect that there will be wider reform of GB and EU energy markets. What opportunities and challenges are there in the short term and, strategically, in future?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 10 May 2022

Fiona Hyslop

Do you acknowledge that National Grid’s plans still penalise Scotland, and that we have people living in fuel poverty in the part of the United Kingdom that generates the most energy, in terms of both renewable energy and oil and gas? Is that not wrong?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 10 May 2022

Fiona Hyslop

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Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 10 May 2022

Fiona Hyslop

I am sorry, convener, but I just want to say that there does not seem to be a sense of urgency. During the Covid pandemic, we saw whole-system changes because of a world emergency. I get a sense that the approach is to wait and see, and it might take some years.

What is Ofgem, as the regulator, trying to do to increase the pace, scale and impact of the changes and reforms?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 10 May 2022

Fiona Hyslop

If I understood you correctly, Neil Lawrence, you said that support for individuals and subsidies are the responsibility of Government and that you have limited capacity to intervene, although you can direct and fine companies and intervene if you think that they are not providing sufficient support to individuals. You said that you would welcome legislation to give you more powers. Will you be a bit more specific about what would constitute useful legislation?

We talked about pre-payment meters. Is there, or should there be, legislation that requires an energy supplier to replace a pre-payment meter if an individual requests that it does so?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 10 May 2022

Fiona Hyslop

Thank you.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 10 May 2022

Fiona Hyslop

How long will that take? People are facing an energy price crisis now. Some of the changes that we need will require wholesale energy market reform. What would be the desirable timeframe for the wholesale energy market reform to start to make an impact?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 10 May 2022

Fiona Hyslop

Are you saying that subsidy issues would be addressed by the UK Government in an energy market to deliver what you wanted?