'GOVERNMENT MUST ACT ON FUEL BILLS' - BURT

12.39.43pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 5th Aug 2008

Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt has responded to reports that the government is considering imposing a windfall tax on energy companies following concerns about record increases in fuel costs, saying:

"It is unacceptable that energy companies are enjoying what are excessive profits and a massive subsidy at a time when hard-pressed Solihull families are struggling to pay their fuel bills. It is going to be tough for people to pay their bills this winter and the government needs to act sooner rather than later.

"Energy companies should be compelled to use the money from the £9bn European windfall that came to them. This windfall came about because of the giveaway of free permits to emit Carbon Dioxide under the European Union's Emissions Trading scheme.

"We need to use this money to help tackle fuel poverty in Solihull. The energy companies should help to pay for better home insulation, give social tariffs to over two million vulnerable customers and install smart meters in homes, which display the real time consumption costs. "