Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2023, to Question 187027 on Medical Equipment: Energy, what support the Department of Health and Social Care has provided for the forthcoming consultation on consumer protection in the energy markets.

As set out in the autumn statement, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is exploring the best approach to consumer protection, as part of wider retail market reforms.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is engaging with a broad range of stakeholders, including organisations representing people with in-home medical equipment to assess the impact of energy prices on households.

The Department of Health and Social Care is supporting the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero with this. The NHS England specialised commissioning team is working to support Departmental colleagues with identifying energy-reliant medical devices used in patients' homes, and identifying clinical expert nominees, to advise more widely, as part of their operational response.

The Government continues to monitor the situation and will keep options under review, including with respect to the most vulnerable households.