When Liz Truss faced her first session of Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament yesterday, Chipping Barnet MP, Theresa Villiers, urged the new PM to come to the rescue of local pubs in her constituency.
Asking only the second PMQ of Ms Truss’s premiership, Theresa highlighted the case of a pub-restaurant in Barnet facing a 600% increase in its energy bill.
Speaking afterwards, Theresa said “We are all worried about energy costs. I am alarmed at the bills faced by my constituents and by local businesses. I felt it was important to highlight the sky-rocketing energy bills faced by hospitality businesses in Barnet. I welcome the assurance given by the new Prime Minister that help will be forthcoming for both households and businesses.”
The Hansard report of the exchange at PMQs is as follows:
“Theresa Villiers
I want to warmly congratulate my right hon. Friend on becoming the third woman Prime Minister of this great country. I wish her well with her premiership, and I am going to ask her about pubs today. A pub restaurant in my constituency of Barnet got in touch with me to say they were struggling to find an energy supplier, and the quotes they had got hold of showed that they would be paying a 600% increase in their bill to £320,000. They cannot survive that. Will she ensure her plan to tackle the energy price crisis helps businesses in the hospitality sector, which our communities value so much? (901381)
The Prime Minister
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. The hospitality industry is vital, and I will make sure that our energy plan, which will help support businesses and people with the immediate price crisis, as well as making sure there are long-term supplies available, will help businesses as well as helping individual households.”
Theresa’s question earned her plaudits from the pub industry.
Today Mrs Truss confirmed the extensive support package being offered by the Government to freeze prices for families and businesses, with a specific reference to pubs:
“This Government will bring forward emergency legislation to establish a new Energy Price Guarantee which will ensure that the average British household pays no more than £2,500 per year for their energy bills for the next two years from October…
Businesses will be offered an equivalent guarantee for six months for those hit by rising prices, and after those six months we will provide further support for vulnerable sectors, such as hospitality, including our local pubs. We will work with businesses to review where this should be targeted.”
The photo was taken in a pub in East Barnet which was not the one which contacted Theresa about their increasing energy bill.
