---

Energy Prices Act 2022 (Extension of Time Limit) (No. 2) Regulations 2026

Yes, I am very happy to do that, but I anticipate—I do not know whether the noble Lord has this actively in mind—that we may have an Urgent Question coming on this, so we may be able to start talking about it at that point.

On the wider question of frequency response, it is true that, as far as having a substantially renewables-based system is concerned, the possibility of wider perturbations in frequency is something that one has to consider. That is why, among other things, as he will know, there have been regular auction calls for frequency response mechanisms which can be brought to bear to make sure that those perturbations are very rapidly brought under control, because it is a question of more than 50 megahertz on either side of the 400 barrier. When it goes down too low, you have to intervene. Those frequency response mechanisms can do that very efficiently and have done it very efficiently. Therefore, there was no question that we were beyond the buffer as far as that margin call was concerned. That may be something that I add to my correspondence with the noble Lord.

Tackling affordability is the Government’s number one priority, and we acted at last year’s Budget by taking, on average, £150 of costs off energy bills, with those decisions now factored into bills for three years to come, as I have said. The recent price cap announced by Ofgem will be deeply concerning news for families. We understand that developments in the Middle East are concerning, and we will continue to monitor that situation ahead of winter and plan for contingencies. Should there be any further action relating to what is happening in the Middle East, it may well be that the Energy Prices Act 2022 comes to the rescue, as far as any of those measures are concerned. We will keep that under close review, and let us hope that things work out in a good way, but the Government will certainly keep a close eye on it should things not work out as well as we hope.