Draft Energy Prices Act 2022 (Extension of Time Limit) Regulations 2026

Claire Young Excerpts

Tuesday 14th April 2026 General Committees

[Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz. The extension of this statutory instrument is important to ensure that the Government will continue to be able to support households with energy costs. Given the volatility of fossil fuel prices and Trump’s reckless and illegal war with Iran, it is important that legislative tools are available to support people with their energy bills.

However, the Government need to act to support such households. While the announcement in March to help households using heating oil through the crisis resilience fund was welcome, the Government need to continue to support them. My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I have consistently called on the Government to zero-rate VAT on heating oil for three months and to create a price cap mechanism for off-gas households. They should not be left unprotected and vulnerable to soaring prices.

The hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central made important points about large, energy-intensive industries. The Government should take the opportunity that the instrument offers by providing support for small or microbusinesses to cover the cost of their renewables obligations to energy suppliers, lowering bills and supporting businesses with soaring prices during volatile and uncertain times. Families and business owners are struggling and are worried about what the conflict with Iran will mean for their bills. We need to see real and continued support from the Government to lower energy bills and help those who need it most.