Essential energy guarantee

That this House recognises that access to affordable energy is a basic necessity and that no household should face a choice between heating their home and meeting other essential needs; notes that households continue to face significant financial pressure from energy bills following continued volatility in global gas markets; further notes that monopoly energy network operators are on course to receive up to £7 billion in unearned windfall profits under the current RIIO-2 price control framework, not through improved performance but through an unintended consequence of the regulatory system; believes those unexpected profits should be used to cut energy bills for all households rather than to enrich shareholders; also notes that this would help tackle the trend of rising energy debt, therefore supporting the resilience of our energy market; further believes that additional targeted support must be provided to vulnerable households and families with children facing high energy costs; notes reports that the Rt hon. Member for Makerfield is considering proposals similar to the Liberal Democrats' essential energy guarantee, which would provide every household with a discount on its essential energy consumption; urges him to commit to this approach for the benefit of everyone in Great Britain; and calls on the Government to bring forward permanent reforms to reduce energy bills, including a 10-year emergency home upgrade programme, reform of the electricity market to reduce reliance on global gas prices, and accelerated investment in home-grown renewable energy.