MOORE : RULES ON ENERGY TARIFF CHANGES 'FARCICAL'

12.00.00am GMT Tue 19th Jan 2010

Borders MP Michael Moore is calling on Ministers to protect consumers in the Borders by changing the rules surrounding energy tariff price increases.

Since 2006, energy providers have had 65 working days to inform their customers of a price rise after it has taken place - over 6 times longer than the previous time limit. In contrast, consumers only have 20 days to switch their supplier after they have been informed of any changes that will increase their energy bills.

Research conducted by the consumer rights group Which? has shown that 98% of people would like to be informed of price changes before they happen.

Mr Moore has signed a Liberal Democrat Parliamentary motion calling on the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to require Ofgem, the energy regulator, to change the conditions of suppliers' licenses to force them to publicise price increases before they are introduced.

Commenting, Mr Moore said:

'With the cost of energy having risen year on year in recent times, fuel poverty is an issue that seems to affect more and more people in the Borders every winter.

'Under these conditions it is essential that consumers are able to make an informed choice about where they buy their power. Allowing companies to wait up to 65 working days before publishing details of tariff increases retrospectively is wholly unacceptable.

'Ministers must act now to end this farce and ensure that people across the south of Scotland are in possession of all of the facts when choosing their energy supplier.'