To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what (a) seminars and (b) workshops (i) have been held and (ii) are planned to be held as part of Ofgem’s RPI minus X at 20 review. (289883)

These are matters for Ofgem. I have asked the chairman to respond directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of the response will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what working groups have been set up as part of Ofgem’s RPI minus X at 20 review. (289884)

These are matters for Ofgem. I have asked the chairman to respond directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of the response will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what meetings (a) the Secretary of State and (b) other Ministers in his Department have had with Ofgem to discuss its RPI minus X at 20 review. (289886)

Ministers have had a number of meetings with Ofgem in the past year to discuss a range of issues including the regulation and development of energy infrastructure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate has been made by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets of the level of average (a) gas and (b) electricity bills in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) each English region. (289885)

Markets produces estimates of domestic household energy bills. Latest estimates reflect current prices as at June 2009 prices, and are available online at:

http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Media/FactSheets/Documentsl/updatedhouseholdbills09.pdf

For an average consumer using 3,300 kWh of electricity and 20,500 kWh of gas per year and paying their bills on receipt (standard credit), June 2009 prices indicate an average annual electricity bill of £445 and the average gas bill was £800. Ofgem does not produce estimates of bills at regional levels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when Ofgem began its RPI minus X at 20 review; what the timetable of the review is; and if he will make a statement. (289887)

These are matters for Ofgem. I have asked the chairman to respond directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his response will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 23 March 2009, Official Report, column 171W, on energy: consumers, when he expects Ofgem to have completed its consideration of other means which can be used to promote supplier switching. (290028)

Ofgem published its detailed proposals for promoting supplier switching on 7 August 2009. The proposals include better information on bills, annual statements and a customer switching guarantee to simplify the switching process. Some of these will be implemented in October 2009 and the whole package will be in place by April 2010.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with Ofgem on the relationship between domestic energy bills and energy prices; and if he will make a statement. (292386)

DECC Ministers are in regular contact with the regulator on many factors affecting consumer bills. On 18 September Ofgem published its most recent Quarterly Report on wholesale costs and retail prices. These Quarterly Reports were initiated in response to a request from Government and the most recent is the third.