Energy market reforms 'will not break monopoly of energy suppliers' - 14/07/2011

The government's White Paper on energy market reform does not go far enough to stop energy suppliers' monopoly, meaning people will find it harder to secure cheap gas deals.

This is the opinion of Barry Gardiner, Labour MP for Brent North, who told the Willesden & Brent Times that the government should outline further changes to the market, or else risk wasting the opportunity.

"The White Paper was supposed to be about affordable electricity, security of supply and about moving towards low carbon energy production and distribution. It is none of these," he argued.

"Fiddling with subsidies and structures around the market, rather than reforming the market itself, by breaking the vertical integration of the six biggest energy providers, will do little more than bring in minor cosmetic changes to the balance sheets of the Big Six."

Meanwhile, energy secretary Chris Huhne has admitted that the reforms will add an average of £160 to customers' bills over the next 20 years, but insisted this would be less than the £200 a year householders could expect to shell out on top of their utility bills if the reforms are not implemented.

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