We are preparing for every contingency and looking at the support that may be required in the autumn and winter. The significant increase in the warm home discount has obviously benefited households right across the country, not least in my hon. Friend’s constituency. The number receiving the warm home discount in York Central has increased from nearly 2,500 to over 8,000, to a value of £1.2 million in support offered to her constituents.

I know the recent rise in energy bills will be very concerning for families across the country. At the last Budget, we took an average of £150 off energy bills, which is now factored into our bills for years to come, and we have also expanded the warm home discount.

The Government recognises that some households, including those in housing cooperatives, may be supplied through arrangements that differ from standard domestic energy contracts, where the consumer does not have a direct relationship with their supplier. As such they will not receive the same protections as direct domestic customers, including the energy price cap. However, they are protected by the Maximum Resale Price (MRP) and can take action through tribunals or civil courts if they want redress.

Recent price increases have increased the scrutiny of existing arrangements for domestic consumers with non-domestic supply contracts. The Government is continuing to monitor this and other cohorts closely.

Pharmacies are an integral part of our communities. They are an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly skilled healthcare professionals. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we want pharmacies to play a bigger role as we shift more care out of hospitals and into the community.

The community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to £3.073 billion for 2025/26. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. There is also additional funding available, for example for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations, and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.

The Pharmacy First clinical pathways have been informed by guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and were designed with input from an expert panel of clinicians. NHS England is keeping the clinical scope of this service under review.

The Department will consult Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors for 2026/27 shortly.

Over the next five years we expect over 12 million pensioners are likely to see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock

We are also providing support through our Warm Homes Plan which pensioners will benefit from. This will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.

The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.

We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.

The Government is continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides an annual £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households. We are also extending the Household Support Fund to help struggling households with bills and essential costs this winter.

We expect energy suppliers to do everything they can to support customers who are struggling with bills, especially vulnerable households. This includes providing extra support to customers in debt, or those at risk of falling into debt, by committing to proactive steps to support consumers.

Through the medicine margin survey, the Department assesses whether the reimbursement arrangements pay pharmacy contractors as agreed, as part of the community pharmacy contractual framework. The medicine margin survey considers what a sample of independent pharmacies paid, by looking at their invoices compared to the amount reimbursed by the National Health Service. As large companies are considered to have greater buying power, they are not sampled in the medicine margin survey.

Furthermore, where pharmacies cannot purchase products at or below the Drug Tariff NHS reimbursement price, Community Pharmacy England can request that the Department reassesses the reimbursement price. If a new reimbursement price is issued, it is known as a concessionary price.

Domestic consumers can choose a Fixed tariff, based on the best prices available at the time, or they will move onto a Default tariff. Where they are on Default tariff their energy supplier must ensure that their prices are within the Energy Price Cap. Ofgem determines the level of the cap every three months to reflect trends in the energy market.

Businesses, including the hospitality sector, have already benefitted from the Energy Bill Relief Scheme which ended on 31 March and provided £7 billion of support. Eligible businesses will continue to get a discount on gas and electricity bills under the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) from 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2024.

Wholesale prices have fallen significantly, and it is important that businesses continue to shop around for the best deals as energy prices will vary between energy suppliers. Businesses fixed into costly long-term contracts are more likely to receive EBDS support due to how the baseline discount is calculated.

Domestic consumers can choose a Fixed tariff, based on the best prices available at the time, or they will move onto a Default tariff. Where they are on Default tariff their energy supplier must ensure that their prices are within the Energy Price Cap. Ofgem determines the level of the cap every three months to reflect trends in the energy market.

Officials in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero are working closely with other Government Departments to assess options, including social tariffs, for a new approach to consumer protection from 2024.

The Government intends to consult on options in summer 2023 that better targets support for those most in need.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme provides a discount on the wholesale element of gas and electricity bills to ensure that all eligible businesses, including the hospitality and retail sector, are protected from high energy costs this winter period. Following an HMT-led review, the new Energy Bill Discount Scheme will run from April until March 2024, and continue to provide a discount to eligible non-domestic customers, including the hospitality and retail sector. Additional government support for the sector includes Retail, Health and Leisure relief increase from 50% to 75%, a multiplier freeze for 2023-24, and capping of transitional relief for rateable values.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme review included an assessment of qualitative and quantitative evidence from stakeholders, including small businesses, on sectors that may be most affected by rising energy prices based on energy and trade intensity.

The outcome of the review informed the criteria of the new Energy Bill Discount Scheme (EBDS), which will continue to provide eligible UK businesses and other non-domestic energy users with a discount on high energy bills from April until 31 March 2024. A higher level of support will be provided for the most energy and trade intensive sectors who meet agreed thresholds for energy and trade intensity through the Energy and Trade Intensive Industries (ETII) Scheme element of the EBDS.

The methodology used to determine the eligibility of SIC Codes for the higher Energy and Trade Intensive Industry (ETII) support is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-bills-discount-scheme-factsheet.

We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to swimming pools, as swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.

At the Budget, we announced a dedicated £63 million support package for swimming pools, which is targeted at addressing cost pressures facing public swimming pool providers. It will also help provide investment in energy efficiency measures to reduce future operating costs and make facilities sustainable in the long-term.

Details of the eligibility process will be published shortly, however, this fund will focus on those public swimming pool providers whose cost pressures are most acute, leaving them most vulnerable to closure. The Government intends for community and charitable trusts to be eligible to receive this funding. Sport England will manage a competitive application process and set out further detail on eligibility shortly.

Under the Ofgem Energy Price Cap methodology, energy suppliers can change the efficient cost to supply energy, and the cost incurred for each payment method is one of the variables in this calculation.

The Government has announced that the cost differential between customers paying by direct debit and prepayment customers will be covered through the Energy Price Guarantee from 1 July this year. This will save a comparable prepayment meter customer £45 a year on average.

Ofgem are looking at options for removing the cost difference between direct debit and prepayment from April 2024.

The Chancellor regularly engages with stakeholders on a range of issues.

As part of the Alcohol Duty Review, my officials and I have had meetings with relevant stakeholders, including public health representatives, to understand the implications of the new alcohol duty system for their sector.

Ofgem rules require energy suppliers to assess whether installing a prepayment meter or changing a smart meter to prepayment mode is safe and reasonably practicable for the customer. This assessment should include identifying any vulnerability and the customer’s ability to pay.

Supply licence conditions, enforced by the independent regulator Ofgem, state that differences in price between payment methods for energy must reflect the cost to the supplier of that payment method. The costs of managing prepayment meters are higher than those for standard meters due to the different metering requirements and payment systems.

Ofgem has said that it will be looking at all energy payment methods to see whether there is a case for levelling them, taking account of the trade-offs and other issues that would involve.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) provides a discount on the wholesale element of gas and electricity bills to ensure that eligible charities are protected from excessively high energy costs over the winter period. Following an HMT-led review into the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, the new Energy Bill Discount Scheme will run from April until March 2024 and will continue to provide a discount to eligible non-domestic customers including charities. The new scheme strikes a balance between supporting non-domestic customers over the next 12 months and limiting taxpayer’s exposure to volatile energy markets, with a cap set at £5.5 billion.

The recent Energy Bill Relief Scheme review assessed the impact of energy costs on non-domestic customers, including care homes. On 9 January the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the outcome of the review and future support for non-domestic customers in the form of a new Energy Bill Discount Scheme (EBDS). Under this scheme, eligible non-domestic consumers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland – including care homes – will receive a per-unit discount to their energy bills, subject to a maximum discount for twelve months from 1 April 2023.

Additionally, the Government will make available up to £2.8 billion this year and £4.7 billion next year to support adult social care and discharge, including with cost pressures – equivalent to 200,000 additional care packages and the biggest funding increase in history.