Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the contribution of the Prime Minister on 17 October 2012, Official Report, column 316, what steps the Government has taken to bring forward legislative proposals to compel energy companies to give the lowest tariff to their customers.

The Government introduced powers in the Energy Act 2013 to give effect to the Prime Minister’s commitment. These powers enabled the Government to make changes to supplier standard licence conditions to ensure that customers are on the cheapest tariff that is in line with their preferences. However as the necessary changes to supplier licence conditions were introduced by Ofgem in 2013, the Government has not had to exercise these powers.

Ofgem has since referred the GB energy market to the Competition and Markets Authority for a full market investigation which is due to conclude in June 2016 following the publication of the Provisional Decision on Remedies on 10 March. The Government has committed to taking forward the CMA’s recommendations.