Response to the Government’s Energy Bill announcement

“Huge investment is undoubtedly needed if we are to keep the lights on but everything possible must be done to keep costs under control, especially at a time when rising energy prices are already one of people’s top financial worries.

“With a backdrop of inflation-busting energy price rises and large profit announcements from the big energy companies, consumers are rightly questioning whether the price they’re paying for their energy bills is fair.

“Real transparency and tough, independent scrutiny of the government’s plans are now vital to avoid unnecessary costs that consumers can little afford. We want to see contracts for new energy supplies studied by an independent panel of experts, including consumer representatives, before being presented to Parliament, to reassure the households that will foot the bill that this is good value for their money.

“If the Government wants to help consumers, it needs to ensure its own policies aren’t going to send people’s already high and rising energy bills through the roof, and convince us about how they are going to keep a tight grip on the costs.”