Martin McCluskey

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stuart. I congratulate the hon. Member for Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey (Graham Leadbitter) on securing this debate and giving Members across the House a rare and, I am sure, welcome opportunity to discuss factoring arrangements in Scotland. The Government recognise that households in factored buildings and their equivalents face more complexity in securing the energy they need than typical households. I hope to address the six points that the hon. Member made at the end of his speech, but if there are any that he would like to discuss further with me, I will be more than happy to do so after the debate. Factors and other property managers have an important role to play in ensuring that they secure the best-value energy contract for their building. When looking to renew their energy contracts, they should be actively comparing quotes across the non-domestic market and considering available customer service data such as Citizens Advice’s energy supplier performance league table. Small tenements have different needs for communal area pricing from those of a large council complex, for example. Although the existing approach has generally benefited households and offered protection from unfair reselling, some households can be exposed to high prices, as we have heard from the hon. Member and others. The Government are committed to ensuring that our approach to these issues delivers the best outcomes for our citizens as our energy system evolves.