The Government has announced further support to help businesses with increased global energy costs following the launch of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme. This £5.5 million scheme will provide support for businesses, voluntary and public sector organisations until March 2024. Although wholesale energy prices are beginning to fall, the risk of price volatility remains high – so we must ensure that businesses have the assurance that they can afford to keep on operating during this period.
The new Energy Bills Discount Scheme, which will provide businesses locked into contracts before recent price falls with a discount of up to £6.97/MWh to their gas bill, and up to £19.61/MWh for electricity bills. Businesses in sectors with particularly high levels of energy use and trade intensity, like the ceramics sector in Stoke-on-Trent will receive a higher level of support.
Jack Brereton MP said:
"This additional support will be hugely reassuring for many businesses and organisation in Stoke-on-Trent. I particularly welcome that the Government have listened to our calls for extra support for energy intensive industries like ceramics which have been most exposed to increased global energy cost."
Jack asked a question in the House of Commons Chamber following the statement by the Treasury Minister, he asked:
"Energy-intensive industries, particularly the ceramics industry in Stoke-on-Trent, have been most exposed to global energy price shocks, as they have to fire their wares at over 1,000°C. Many of those businesses have not been eligible for the support received by other energy-intensive sectors. Can the Minister reassure me that all ceramics producers in Stoke-on-Trent will receive the additional support that they need?"
James Cartlidge, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury responded:
"My hon. Friend is a champion for the ceramics sector, and I know how important it is to the Potteries and to his constituency. If he looks at SIC code 23 in the list of sectors, he will see a range of ceramics industries that are covered. It is worth looking at that list, because there are a great many specific types. Obviously we want to support business as far as possible. As I have said, the qualification for support is for the sector in question to be above the 80th percentile for energy intensity and the 60th percentile for trade intensity, and that is likely to cover much of the ceramics sector."
