Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Energy price rises
Background
The Committee agreed to hold a short 'snapshot' inquiry into energy price rises. The inquiry focused primarily on short- and medium-term solutions to high energy prices, longer term structural solutions, and the role of the Scottish Government in implementing these.
The Committee held evidence sessions during April and May 2022, hearing from a wide range of stakeholders including academics, consumer representatives, energy companies and government officials.
The Committee's scrutiny explored areas such as:
- The key drivers for recent energy price increases; the short-medium term outlook for these prices and how the issues of affordability and climate change should be considered in the policy response.
- To what extent the energy price crisis will undermine or accelerate the structural changes required to transition to net zero and how the cost of living crisis can be tackled in the short-medium term without compromising emissions reduction goals.
- The impact on consumers & how many people were impacted over winter 2021-22, how much worse this could get and what the barriers are to people being able to reduce their bills.
- How the energy market works in Great Britain; how the crisis is affecting different sections of the market and what the solutions are.
- What measures the Scottish Government and regulatory bodies are taking to mitigate the situation, what solutions are being considered and what further measures can be taken.
Timetable
19 April 2022
The Committee took evidence from— Dr Matthew Hannon, Reader in Sustainable Energy Policy and Business Models, Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, University of Strathclyde; Tim Lord, Head of Climate Change, Phoenix Group and Associate Senior Fellow for Net Zero, Institute for Global Change; and Dr Richard Lowes, Senior Associate, The Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP).
26 April 2022
The Committee took evidence from— Chris Birt, Associate Director for Scotland, Joseph Rowntree Foundation; Frazer Scott, Chief Executive Officer, Energy Action Scotland; and Alastair Wilcox, Senior Policy Officer, Citizens Advice Scotland; and then from—Dan Alchin, Director of Regulation, Energy UK; Keith Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, ScottishPower; and Ross Dornan, Market Intelligence Manager, Offshore Energies UK (OEUK).
10 May 2022
The Committee took evidence from— Neil Kenward, Director of Strategy and Decarbonisation and Neil Lawrence, Director of Retail, Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem).
11 May 2022
The Committee took evidence from— Rt Hon. Greg Hands MP, Minister of State for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change, UK Government.
17 May 2022
The Committee took evidence from— Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, Scottish Government.
24 May 2022
The Committee considered the evidence it heard at previous meetings.
21 June 2022
The Committee considered a draft report. Various changes were agreed to and the Committee agreed to consider a revised draft at its next meeting.
28 June 2022
The Committee considered a draft report. Various changes were agreed to and the Committee delegated to the Convener responsibility for finalising the draft report for publication.
Report
Read the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee's report on its inquiry into energy price rises