Public meeting on energy prices
9th May 2012
People in Southampton will have the chance to give their views to a Parliamentary inquiry on energy issues – including rising prices, switching energy supplier and the way energy companies communicate with their customers - at a special Parliamentary event being hosted by local MP Alan Whitehead at Freemantle Community Centre in Southampton on 14 May.
This free event offers people the opportunity to feed their views into the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee’s current inquiry into how consumers engage with the energy market and hear from Dr Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test, and member of the committee.
Dr Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test, said:
“I know from talking to people across Southampton that rising energy prices are a growing problem for more and more households already struggling to make ends meet.
“There is a real challenge in the years ahead to make sure everyone in Southampton can afford to heat their home properly, and at the same time make sure we deliver energy that is secure, clean and sustainable.
“Parliament Talks...Energy is an excellent opportunity for people to come along and feed into the Select Committee’s inquiry on how we can get a better deal from the energy companies.”
Parliament Talks...Energy is the latest in a new series of subject-specific events organised by the Houses of Parliament Outreach Service, held around the UK, highlighting Parliament’s role in scrutinising public policy and holding the Government to account.
The event will include a short talk from Dr Alan Whitehead MP followed by the opportunity to join group discussions on matters such as how to maintain energy security and “keep the lights on”, how to pay for the building of new power stations, and the effectiveness of ‘green’ measures such as energy efficiency and support for renewable energy. The audience will also have the opportunity to ask questions about Parliament’s scrutiny of energy policy and find out how they can make their voice heard.
For people unable to make it along to the event, information on how Parliament looks at energy issues, and how people can get involved, will be available on the Parliament Talks...Energy website: www.parliament.uk/talks-energy
More information
- Find out more about ‘Parliament Talks...Energy’ and future ‘Parliament Talks...’ events here: www.parliament.uk/talks-energy
- The event is free but to register your interest for this event, please contact the Houses of Parliament Outreach team on parliamentaryoutreach@parliament.uk or call 020 7219 1650. The Parliament Outreach service raises awareness of the work, processes and relevance of the institution of Parliament, with the aim of increasing levels of engagement with it. It is a bicameral service and part of a strategy endorsed by both Houses to strengthen the connection between Parliament and the public.
- Energy issues have received a significant amount of attention in the House of Commons and House of Lords recently. The House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Select Committee examines the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and its associated public bodies. In February 2012, the Committee launched an inquiry to investigate the way in which consumers engage with energy markets.
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