The Growth Plan

Debate between Patrick Grady and Kwasi Kwarteng

Friday 23rd September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (Ind)]

Will the Chancellor make it clear to the House that £2,500 represents the energy bill of a typical or average household and that, in fact, many non-typical and non-average households will continue to pay more? Those households will often be in the greatest need, and they will continue to pay more until there is structural change to the energy market, including sorting out prepayment meters, sorting out the standing charge and ending the link between gas and oil prices.

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that we need to look at how the energy market works. How the gas price determines the electricity price is openly discussed, but a lot of our electricity generation is based not on fossil fuels but on renewables. I commissioned that work in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and I hope to see it completed very soon.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Patrick Grady and Kwasi Kwarteng

Tuesday 9th February 2021 Commons Chamber

[Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP)]

What discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on increasing support to businesses affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

[The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Kwasi Kwarteng)]

It is well known that we spent over £280 billion on an unprecedented package of support for businesses, including the job retention scheme, support grants and Government-backed loans. I speak regularly with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on all the support measures available for businesses, including in the next stage when we try to lead and help them through the pandemic and towards recovery.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

Throughout this crisis, as I am sure my hon. Friend is aware, the Government have stood by businesses, as she mentioned, and worked tirelessly to protect people’s jobs and livelihoods across the entirety of our country. As we emerge from the pandemic, we will ensure that we seize the initiative, as she put it, to build back better, greener and faster from this pandemic.

[Patrick Grady]

Does the Secretary of State not accept that, if people who are excluded from support packages are forced to wind up their businesses and move to universal credit or social security, that is more costly to the Government and damaging to the economy in the long run? Surely it is better to bring the excluded in from the cold now than to pay the long-term costs of exclusion in the future.

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

I fully appreciate—this is our key message as a Government—that jobs and employment are a No. 1 priority. That is exactly why my right hon. Friend the Chancellor extended the furlough scheme. I am in constant conversation with him about how better to provide support for our economy under this distress.