Dr Julian Lewis:  To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of (a) moving people onto prepayment meters against their will and (b) cutting off energy supply (i) unilaterally and (ii) remotely on (A) elderly, (B) impoverished and (C) other vulnerable people; what recent discussions he has had with energy companies on the impact of these practices; whether his Department is taking steps to protect people from these practices; and if he will make a statement.  [104081]

[Due for Answer on 15 December]

ANSWER

The Minister of State for Energy and Climate (Graham Stuart): Ofgem has rules in place that restrict the force-fitting of a prepayment meter on customers who are in debt, except as a last resort. Ofgem also has rules to protect consumers from the risk of disconnection, in particular preventing suppliers from directly disconnecting consumers between November and April.

On the impact of suppliers cutting off supply, between Q3 2021 and Q2 2022, suppliers directly disconnected 3 gas accounts and 19 electricity accounts according to Ofgem data. Neither the Government, nor Ofgem hold more detailed data on the recent impact of disconnections, or pre-payment installations and switches, on the groups listed.