Opposition Day — Energy Company Licence Revocation — Consumer Harm Due to Serious Breaches of Licence Conditions — 3 Sep 2014 at 15:44

The majority of MPs voted against giving the energy regulator Ofgem a new power to revoke energy companies’ licences in cases of repeated instances of the most serious and deliberate breaches of licence conditions which harm the interests of consumers.

The motion rejected in this vote was:

• That this House
• believes that consumers have a right to be treated fairly and be confident that energy companies will meet their obligations and provide good services;
• further believes that where companies breach these obligations, decisive action should be taken to put things right and prevent further breaches;
• notes that since 2001 Ofgem has imposed at least 31 fines totalling at least £90 million;
• further notes that despite these financial penalties energy companies face another 11 investigations with four additional cases at informal review stage;
• further notes that the regulator already has the power to revoke energy companies’ licences in certain limited circumstances, but not where energy companies comply with a penalty notice and then commit further breaches of their licence; and
• therefore calls on the Government to provide the energy regulator for Great Britain with a new statutory power to revoke energy companies’ licences where there are repeated instances of the most serious and deliberate breaches of their licence conditions which harm the interests of consumers.

Debate in Parliament | Source |