The No. 1 threat to small business is spiralling energy costs

Many businesses & charities in #NewcastleCentral tell me the biggest threat to their survival is rising energy costs.

Govt wants to leave it to the market but when I told the minister it was his job to make the energy market deliver for small biz all he could do was waffle. pic.twitter.com/x4bObx7ovk

— Chi Onwurah ???? (@ChiOnwurah) January 10, 2023

Chi Onwurah 

(Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)

 On Friday I visited Gills convenience store, which provides essential services for constituents in Brakelaw and Fenham. The owners told me that the No. 1 threat to their business was spiralling energy costs, and that message is being echoed by pubs, the hospitality sector, charities, and small businesses across Newcastle. The Minister says that this support will be limited to £400 because, he says, it is not for Government to pay the bills of business. Will he at least agree with me that it is for Government to deliver a sustainable, secure energy market which works for small businesses, and that his Government are entirely failing to do that?

HASNSARD:

https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-01-09/debates/51DBBC3D-0BD7-4270-BCC6-3D8684FD86E3/Non-DomesticEnergySupport#contribution-C9F4AF18-69A2-4504-86D8-8B04659CCF65

Chi says: 

Many businesses & charities in #NewcastleCentral tell me the biggest threat to their survival is rising energy costs.

Government wants to leave it to the market but when I told the Minister it was his job to make the energy market deliver for small biz all he could do was waffle.