The Alternative Queen's Speech 6: Affordable Energy Bill

This is the sixth of fifteen draft Bills in an Alternative Queen's Speech that sets out what a legislative programme might have looked like if a majority Conservative government had been elected. Read more about the initiative here.

Cheaper energy is essential to tackle fuel poverty ,and power an industrial revival in the UK. One of the main reasons living standards have fallen in recent years is the rising cost of domestic energy and road fuels. The Bill would cut subsidies for electricity generation by more expensive means, as much of this cost is passed onto consumers. It would facilitate extraction of shale gas away from settlements and sensitive areas. It would promote more competition amongst suppliers, and implement the Chancellor’s stated  policy of the UK not taking EU carbon policy further than other competitor nations.