Question
With too many Derby residents dreading their bills as the nights draw in, I welcome the news that 93% of the households in our city will be given £100 of breathing space in their energy bills this winter, but whether it is the weekly shop or filling the car, budgets are being stretched from every direction. What other steps can the Chancellor take to give families who are struggling to make ends meet the extra breathing space that they need?
Answer
My hon. Friend is right to highlight the 93% of families in Derby who will have this £100 payment paid directly into their accounts at the beginning of the winter. Let me also point out to him that the VAT cut on electricity bills from the first week of this Government is extended through the winter and the spring to July, just as the 5p cut in fuel duty is extended through the winter, through the spring and to July. We are also taking standing charges off gas bills next year to help relieve the pressure that people face and the worry over energy bills.
Verdict: GREEN (86/100)
The question asked what further steps could give families breathing space on household bills this winter. The reply answers it directly with specific, committed measures: a £100 payment made straight into accounts, extension of the electricity VAT cut and the 5p fuel duty cut through winter and spring to July, and removal of standing charges from gas bills next year. The answer is concrete enough for the asker to move on without needing to request specifics, though it is a single-question exchange and the score reflects only that item.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What further steps the Chancellor can take to give families who are struggling to make ends meet extra financial breathing space this winter. | Addressed | Direct | The reply names concrete measures aimed at easing household bills this winter: a £100 payment paid directly into accounts, extension of the electricity VAT cut and the 5p fuel duty cut through winter and spring to July, and removal of standing charges from gas bills next year. Together these answer what further steps could give families breathing space. |