Mourning period will not delay energy bill freeze, says No 10
Liz Truss’s plans to legislate for a £100bn package of help with energy bills will not be affected by 10 days of national mourning for the Queen, despite parliament being cancelled for the next week, Downing Street has said.
The government is postponing most business until after the Queen’s funeral, but Truss’s team needs to implement the package before the energy price rise that is due to come into force on 1 October.
Parliament is unlikely to return until after the Queen’s funeral, with the earliest possible dates being 19 or 20 September. However, it is due to break up again on 22 September for its party conference recess, and Truss is supposed to be in New York for the UN general assembly for part of that week.
On Friday, Downing Street said plans would be put in place to ensure the support package is made available in time, and suggested that legislation would not be needed for the £2,500 cap on average bills to be put in place.
“The public should be reassured that the energy price guarantee will be in place for households from 1 October, as planned,” Truss’s official spokesperson said.
“We’re implementing that guarantee initially through private contracts with suppliers rather than through legislation, so this mourning period doesn’t impact that introduction.
“We’re working urgently now on the wider aspects of the policy to ensure it can be delivered. As it stands, we do not believe the mourning period would impact on delivery of the policy, neither do we think it requires any sort of legislative moments during the mourning period.
“We will be working with the Speaker to introduce any legislation that is required for as soon as possible after the mourning period concludes.”
With ministers holding back from outlining
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