'Go Compare' @ No 10

It's too cold for a cat to slink about the frost-laden grass! Downing Street is full of draughts too. So, Arturo and I were delighted when we learned that Caroline Flint, MP for Don Valley and shadow energy secretary, raised an issue yesterday in the Commons. Quintin Letts once said of Ms Flint that:

Miss Flint herself possesses teeth, in both senses. She has a frisky manner, a voice that could split wet wood and a fine pair of gnashers ..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2043577/Labour-Party-Conference-2011-Caroline-Flint-fine-pair-gnashers.html#ixzz1bLHy7jzb

So, not to disappoint us Ms 'Gnasher' Flint said:

I beg to move, that this House believes that the energy market does not serve the public interest and is in need of urgent reform; notes with concern research by OFGEM showing that average household energy bills have risen, while energy companies’ profit margins have soared;

"So that's why we're shivering," Arturo said. "The energy companies are soaking up the dosh!"

"Don't worry," I replied, "we have Chris 'No Show' Huhne as the Energy Secretary. He'll sort it out!"

Arturo snorted and slunk off to sit in front of the radiator. Not much faith in our 'No Show' Huhne then, I thought! Why exactly is Mr Huhne a 'No Show' kind of guy. Well, according to 'Gnasher' Flint:

... it is good to see the Secretary of State in his place this afternoon; we were all concerned for his well-being after his no-show on “Newsnight” on Monday. It was the day of that amazing energy summit, yet he was nowhere to be seen. That tells us just how well the summit went. As today’s report on fuel poverty highlights, the stakes could not have been higher.

She went on to make some memorable statements including:

We were given two words that will strike terror into the hearts of the big six energy firms, two words that will give reassurance to millions of families worried about how they are going to heat their homes this winter: “Go compare”. I honestly thought that the Prime Minister was going to come dressed as the opera singer Gio Compario and force the summit’s reluctant audience to endure a chorus. He might as well have done, for all the good that came out of it. Meanwhile, the Secretary of State could only look on — as the Prime Minister spoke and the public relations shots were taken — reduced to the role of the Prime Minister’s meerkat.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2011-10-19a.929.1&s=carbon

Now - there's an image to conjure with! Huhne as the latest to join the menagerie of meerkats! 'Simples'.

But this no laughing matter, as yesterday's Daily Telegraph pointed out in an article written by James Hall, Consumer Affairs Editor. Under the title: At least 2,700 a year die in freezing homes: More people die each year because they are unable to afford their household fuel bills than are killed in crashes on Britain's roads, a Government-commissioned report has found.

James Hall continued:

At least 2,700 people are dying in Britain every year because they are unable to adequately heat their houses, according to the interim findings of a report commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

The number of deaths outstrips the 1,857 people killed in road traffic accidents last year, said Professor John Hills, the academic at London School of Economics who wrote the report on fuel poverty and described it as a 'very serious problem.'

Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has two main policies for its green agenda. According to James Hall:

Its Renewables Obligation (RO) requires that a certain proportion of electricity in the UK is generated from renewable sources, while its Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) requires energy suppliers reduce carbon emissions from households. Yesterday’s report said that household energy companies “generally recoup the costs of these through higher energy prices”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/8837091/At-least-2700-a-year-die-in-freezing-homes.html

Of course, the green agenda needs to be followed. Climate change is a reality and the energy companies need to do their bit. However, do they need to pass on such a high level of their costs to the customers?

"Bring back nationalisation!" Arturo muttered from the corner of the room.

But that's never going to happen, is it? For starters - where would the money come from to buy out the energy companies AND compensate the shareholders? There'd be even more benefit cuts!

A couple of weeks ago, This is Money ran an article about OFGEM's findings. It was on the website: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1607475/Ofgem-reports-energy-suppliers-making-125-profit-customers-How-cheapest-gas-electricity.html

The item written by Ed Monk and Tara Evans read as follows:

Price rises on gas and electricity bills this summer mean that suppliers are making £125 of profit from the typical standard tariff, duel fuel customer each year - up from £15 in June, according to figures from regulator Ofgem.

Energy suppliers say that wholesale gas and electricity price rises have forced them to raise bills, and that continued high wholesale costs will bring profit margins lower again through next year.

However, figures from Ofgem suggest bills have risen by far more than wholesale prices. The regulator said wholesale costs will on average £605 a year per customer from October, compared to £570 in June.

However, instead of advising consumers (that means you) to 'Go Compare', why doesn't 'Boy David' Cameron insist that Ofgem ensures fair play for all? In other words, allow some profit but not at the expense of 2700 people dying of the cold in the winter!

As the meerkat would say "Simples!"

'Bye' from Arturo and me!