Thank you to all those who have contacted me about the energy price crisis.

I appreciate how crucial the concerns you raise are. We are in the middle of a national emergency. I know that many people in our area will be scared about being able to keep their homes warm over the winter. That is why during the summer I supported calls for an energy price freeze.

As you will know, the Government has announced plans to replace the energy price cap with an energy price guarantee to ensure that the average domestic energy bill will be no more than £2,500 per year for two years from 1 October. This is in addition to support announced earlier in the year, including that for vulnerable households.

I am pleased that the Prime Minister has now accepted the principle of a price limit. However, under the Government’s plan prices will still rise. The plan put forward by the Opposition that I support, on the other hand, would ensure that there would not be a penny more on bills.

There is also a crucial question about who ultimately pays for these measures. The Treasury estimates that energy producers could make £170 billion in unexpected windfall profits over the next two years. That is why I have supported a windfall tax since January and why I want to see the windfall tax expanded. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister has chosen to leave these vast profits on the table and instead let working people pick up the bill.

I also agree that we need action on energy efficiency to reduce bills in the longer term. Unfortunately, the measures announced by the Government still make no mention of this crucial issue. This lack of action is driving bills higher. I support a Warm Homes Plan that would reduce energy demand by insulating 19 million homes across the country over the next decade. I have supported calls for such action for almost a year – if the Government had acted on them then, we could have insulated two million of the coldest homes by this winter, saving the typical household an additional £1,000 every year on their energy bills.

If you, or anyone you know in the constituency is struggling to make ends meet, my office has put together a list of resources and support services which can be found here.

Thank you once again for contacting me. I can assure you that I will continue to support efforts to press the Government for the action we desperately need on this issue.