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Fuel Poverty Bill

I welcome this important Fuel Poverty Bill. The Government have difficulties with the issue, but this is about their committing themselves to overcoming those difficulties. Of course, it is easy to say, "Let's kill the Bill off on a Friday", but that is not the way forward. If there are issues or problems, let us deal with them in the proper place—in Committee. I therefore welcome this important private Member's Bill promoted by the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath). The subject is dear to me and to Members right across the House, regardless of the political divide. We all have one aim, which is to help our constituents, including those in fuel poverty. That is why I was pleased when the Sunday People ran its crucial campaign highlighting the real issues of fuel poverty. Of course, as my hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart) said, one issue is prepaid meters, and the fact that the people who buy prepayment cards are subsidising the rest of us and the energy that we use. Usually, people who are upwardly mobile, most able and wealthiest get the cheapest fuel. It is absolutely absurd that we penalise the poorest in the country. That is what we have allowed the energy companies to do. We all have constituents whom we want to talk about. We can all mention cases. I want to talk about E.ON. A constituent of mine struggles to pay their energy bills but does not want a prepayment card, because they know the consequences. First, it will ensure that their energy costs more and, secondly, the cards always run out at the wrong time. People say, "They don't run out in the middle of the night; don't worry." Yes, but next morning, at 8 o'clock, when people are trying to get the kids ready for school, and want a shower or whatever, there is no heating and no lighting. It is not a good way to operate. We are talking about people who struggle, but ensure that they always pay their standing order to E.ON. However, E.ON suddenly put another £100 a month on my constituent's standing order without telling them. It was absolutely absurd; somebody who struggles to make sure that they pay their energy bills suddenly found that an extra £100 had gone. What happens then? Are the kids to go without their meals, or without the new clothes or the new pair of shoes that they need? That is the consequence of E.ON's action. E.ON should have said, "Look, the price of energy has gone up; you may need to consider that. How can we help you?" It does not do that, but it and other energy companies need to do that. They now need to act responsibly, and the Bill will ensure that we can make those companies do so. That is what is wrong with the prepayment cards. We have rightly touched on storage. The energy companies have failed to create storage capacity in the UK. They have been allowed to find an artificial way of increasing prices in winter, and of creating price spikes due to demand for gas. They have happily been allowing Europe to store it. France and Germany have huge storage capacity, so they buy up our cheap gas in summer, and later export it back to us at a much higher price. That ensures that the energy companies, usually continental, make even more money. We have to deal with excessive profits and immoral wages. That is why I am more than happy for there to be a windfall tax.