Plaid MP calls on Westminster to provide energy efficiency voucher for small businesses

Plaid Cymru have called on the UK Government to develop an energy efficiency voucher scheme to help small businesses permanently reduce their energy bills.

The party’s Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts MP said £5000 vouchers could be used to help businesses invest in energy efficiency measures and renewable energy production.

The new Energy Bill Discount Scheme announced by the UK Government yesterday will reduce rather than cap energy costs for businesses from April.

Sion Edwards of Abersoch Farm Shop in Ms Saville Roberts’ constituency of Dwyfor Meirionnydd was forced to close for two months after his electricity bill sky rocketed to £100 a day.

Mr Edwards told his MP that he desperately needed Government support to help introduce measures like solar panels to reduce his energy bills.

A ‘Help to Green’ policy has been proposed by the Federation of Small Businesses which is based on the Help to Grow Digital scheme.

Decarbonise

Under the proposed scheme, the UK Government would introduce vouchers to support businesses to decarbonise, with £5,000 vouchers that can be spent on environmental goods and services.

This would help businesses reduce their need to buy energy from the grid, lower bills, and improve energy security.

Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday Liz Saville Roberts MP said: “Pen Llŷn entrepreneur Siôn Edwards has had to take the difficult decision to temporarily close his farm shop in Abersoch because the business cannot afford the electricity bills.

“Will the Minister please meet me to discuss the proposal from the Federation of Small Businesses for support to be delivered via “help to green” vouchers?”

The Exchequer Secretary, James Cartlidge called it an “interesting idea” and agreed to meet with Liz Saville Roberts to discuss the proposal.