Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of energy costs on factory activity in the UK.

The Government recognises that high energy costs impact factory activity and undermine investment in manufacturing. Therefore, we announced in the Industrial Strategy the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, to reduce industrial electricity prices by around 20-25% from 2027. This new scheme could benefit over 7,000 manufacturing businesses, including those in automotive and defence sectors. We will consult on precise eligibility shortly.

For existing Supercharger recipients, we will also increase Network Charging Compensation from 60% to 90%, saving eligible energy intensive industries a further £10 per megawatt-hour.

We are also continuing compensation of indirect carbon costs from electricity generation for eligible sectors.