Energy prices debated in House of Commons

The government was accused by Labour of refusing to "stand up to" the energy companies as millions of households fell in to fuel poverty.

Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint said that instead of helping, ministers were "making things worse" as a result of their decisions to cut winter fuel allowance and subsidies for solar panels.

In an opposition day debate on the issue, Flint argued that a quarter of households were living in fuel poverty, referring figures from Consumer Focus and National Energy Action.

She called the government "out of touch", and accused them of being unable to stand up to vested interests in the energy industry.

Pensioners were having their winter fuel allowance cut, she said, but acknowledged that under a future Labour administration "it may be something we cannot reverse".
But she said Labour was committed to ensuring all over-75s would get the lowest tariff on offer.
The 'Warm Home Discount', aimed at those on low incomes, was being claimed by only 3 per cent of eligible families, Flint claimed.

She said that energy companies had a "responsibility to their customers and to the public."
Turning to the feed in tariff, Flint attacked the government's "disastrous and chaotic" cuts to the tariff for solar power.
Flint claimed the government was resorting to "ever more outlandish" claims about how much the policy was costing the public.

On energy market reform, Flint stressed the need for a new tariff structure that is clearer and fairer, and that will "help all customers to get a better deal."
She said energy companies were "so quick" to put up people's bills when wholesale prices went up but slow to bring them down when they fell.
The energy market needed "root-and-branch reform," Flint argued.