Amended Motion 13
Energy Companies Standing Charges
“That this Congress agrees that Ofgem, as currently operating, is unfit for purpose, it appears to lack a clear customer focus either at Board or Management level with its decision making apparently skewed in favour of generators, distributors and suppliers.
“It seems to give priority to company interests, not those of the consumer. In a capitalist system, we shouldn’t be paying for failed suppliers, or to enhance the profits and executive pay of private enterprises, from public funds.
“When people are continually having to choose between heat and eat, it demonstrates that the regulatory system is broken.
“Standing charges as they stand are inhumane and affect the poor and disabled disproportionately. Daily standing charges, roughly, equate to 60-90 pence or three kilowatt hours of electricity. Imagine, being asked for £6 just to enter the supermarket to do your weekly shop.
“Furthermore, households in Scotland pay higher standing charges than in some other parts of Britain, even when they live in close proximity to wind and solar farms, battery storage plants, and other grid infrastructure.
“Congress calls for, as a minimum, equalisation of daily and unit rate charges and removal of all elements of the standing charge aside from the basic network infrastructure charge.
“Congress calls on the General Council to lobby the government to sort out the energy market and establish a regulator that works for the people, giving us the cheap fuels that they have promised us with the switch to renewables.”
Mover: Paisley Trades Union Council
Seconder: Moray Trades Union Council
RSS