Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Annual Energy Statement of 6 November 2014, Official Report, column 982, what the evidential basis was for the statement that competition between energy suppliers is hotting up.

Cornwall Energy’s report, Competition in British Household Energy Supply shows that small and medium sized suppliers are continuing to make inroads in the largest suppliers’ market share. The market share held by small and medium sized companies for dual fuel customers was 9% on 31 July 2014.This is the highest market share recorded by small and medium sized companies since the market was liberalised:

http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/publication.html?task=file.download&id=4886

By contrast, in 2010 the equivalent market share was less than 1% percent.

Switching data compiled by Electralink shows that the number of households switching to small and medium-sized electricity suppliers continues to increase. In October Electralink recorded the highest number of net switches from large suppliers to small suppliers since records began:

http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/publication.html?task=file.download&id=4911.