BIG SWITCH CAMPAIGN

Early day motion 2755, tabled 22 February 2012 by Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 152 members.

That this House welcomes The Big Switch initiative, led by Which? and 38 Degrees, that aims to help people struggling with rising energy prices using the combined switching power of thousands of consumers to negotiate a market-leading deal; regrets that 60 per cent. of consumers have never switched energy supplier and that 75 per cent. are currently on their suppliers' standard tariff; notes that consumers, for whom energy prices are the number one financial concern, are baffled by the array of tariffs and offers in the marketplace and often find themselves on more expensive deals when switching; further notes that the more people who sign up to The Big Switch, the better the bargaining position of consumerswill be and urges people to sign up before 31 March; and, acknowledging the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change's previous work on collective purchasing at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, urges him to be supportive of this and similar schemes.

Signatures by party: Labour 84, Liberal Democrat 29, Conservative 26, DUP 4, Plaid Cymru 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Alliance 1, Independent 1, Scottish National Party 1.