Name: House of Commons
Uploaded: 2026-10-13T10:33:56+00:00

00:10 - 00:16

Speaker 3

Order, order. We start with questions Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. Liz Jarvis.

00:16 - 00:19

Speaker 2

Question number one, Mr. Speaker.

00:19 - 00:54

Speaker 6

Mr. Speaker, we know that energy is simply unaffordable for too many people and we are very clear that we need to get bills down for good. Now, one of the ways that we can do this is to decouple the price of gas and electricity, and we are already making progress by bringing on more clean power than ever before so that gas sets the price less of the time. Gas is currently setting the price 60% of the time compared to 90% in 2020. We need to go further, but we're taking action to do that. And we're also expanding contracts for difference that fix the price of renewables.

00:54 - 01:05

Speaker 7

So we will take the action that is necessary over the coming months so that we can break the link between gas and electricity and so that consumers can benefit from cheaper renewables.

01:05 - 01:46

Speaker 15

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I previously raised decoupling of gas and electricity prices with the former Energy Secretary in March, so I welcome the government's continued commitment. However, eight months into the illegal war in Iran, rising gas prices have pushed the price cap up 4% this month, wiping out VAT savings on energy bills, while Trump's lifting of sanctions on Russian diesel leaves fuel prices once again at the mercy of Putin. In my constituency of Eastleigh, over a quarter of households are in fuel poverty and I've spoken with many businesses struggling with spiralling bills. So will the Secretary of State go further and faster on decoupling gas and electricity prices, including by investing more in homegrown renewable energy?

01:46 - 02:30

Speaker 7

Mr. Speaker, the answer to that is simple: yes, absolutely. And look, we are very clear, everyone can see with their eyes what is driving up energy bills. It is our exposure, our acute exposure to global fossil fuel markets that we do not control. This side of the House, we are very clear that our pathway out of this is by investing in renewables, by investing in clean power, so that we do have homegrown energy that we control. And it is candidly, Mr. Speaker, an absolute shame and a travesty that the party opposite that agreed with us for a very long time and that there was cross-party consensus is reneging on that and reneging on our ability, on our ability to control our energy system so it impacts on our consumers.

02:30 - 02:38

Speaker 4

Can I just remind everybody, it's meant to be through the chair, not looking at the members, just try and take some confrontation and try and keep the chamber calm. Thanks for that. Mike Reader.

02:38 - 02:57

Speaker 5

Mr. Speaker, the Secretary of State is right that gas sets the price for power most of the time. Every wind farm and solar array built in our country weakens that link, but Reform and the Conservatives repeatedly object to developments in Northamptonshire. Does the Secretary of State agree with me that the route to cheaper bills is to build and invest and not retreat from green power?

02:57 - 03:17

Speaker 6

Mr. Speaker, my honourable friend is completely right. We are very clear that the route to getting bills down is through clean power. That is why we are proud that over the course of the last two years we have unlocked 100 billion pounds of investment in clean power. We will do what is required. It is just a shame that the party opposite has lost the plot.

03:17 - 03:19

Speaker 1

Pippa Heylings, Liberal Democrats spokesperson.