British Chambers of Commerce Director General…

British Chambers of Commerce Director General addresses Energy Estuary as action taken to cut bills

Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, Shevaun Haviland, was on the banks of the Energy Estuary immediately after government action on energy bills was unveiled.

Addressing Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, she told of the efforts put in by her organisation, and how the stories of impact from members were “gold dust” when putting the case in Westminster.

On the announcement, which will ensure the wholesale price is capped at £211 per MWh for electricity and £75 per MWh for gas, less than half that anticipated this winter, Ms Haviland, a former civil servant who joined Prime Minister Theresa May’s team after an international career in business, said: “We have been pushing the government all the way through the summer to do something about it and I’m delighted to see they have done something about it.

“We are still trying to work out what the numbers look like in a relatively complex energy market, but the government has learned from Covid, going fairly bold and very broad in one push, so no one falls through the cracks.

“I know it is six months, it is not long enough, but it will enable some businesses just to keep the doors open. We will work with the government through to the review period to find out what happens at the end of the six months.”

The Government says the scheme will apply to fixed contracts agreed on or after April 1 this year, as well as to deemed, variable and flexible tariffs and contracts. It will apply to energy usage from October 1 to March 31 and the savings will be first seen in October bills, which are typically received in November.

Moving on to the wider Net Zero strategy, where the Humber is significantly invested, having the world’s largest offshore wind farms, a huge appetite to lead on the hydrogen economy and massive plans for traditional industry decarbonisation through that and carbon capture, she said: “We want to see certainty, a rules-based policy framework which we certainly don’t have at the moment, we need clarity on what needs to be done and how to it, and that will give confidence to invest in the right places.

“We are all facing some significant headwinds, but being together, telling our stories, helps us to build that local economic prosperity.”

Ms Haviland had given her initial reaction in a statement as the support announcement was made, and called for further support for businesses that will struggle even with the help from the Chancellor in the mini-budget on Friday.

Mike Whitehead, Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce president, had welcomed her to the Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel for the networking lunch, a second visit to the Humber in six months, having addressed the Northern Lincolnshire Business Awards in May.

He said: “We live in a period of unchartered waters. Energy, particularly, is a massive issue, and we - the Humber - are probably the most important part of the energy provision and strategy. On a global level we have a real interest to know what the government agenda is.

“We need more turbines like those built off our coast, we are pushing for the planning process to be fast-tracked, we need more sources of energy, but at the same time we need to shore up traditional supplies of oil and gas, and that means this estuary playing its part in that. The government has announced its support for the re-opening of the gas storage terminal at Easington, and granted some more licences for oil and gas in the North Sea, and we’re also talking about fracking being back on the agenda.”

Stating how he had been in a minority of one voting against such action as a local councillor, he reflected on families not being able to heat homes or put food on the table, adding: “It is a real crisis, and we need to tackle it with whatever is available to us.”

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