25 March 2026 - Energy resilience - Oral evidence

Energy minister and industry on growing energy crisis

On Wednesday 25 March, 4 weeks into the Iran conflict, the House of Commons Energy Security Committee will question energy minister Micheal Shanks and energy industry representatives on the security of the UK’s energy supplies and stores.  

• As gas prices soar again, how prepared is the UK energy market? Are we going to see the failure of suppliers in the energy retail market? 
• Is it now time to look at ways to decouple the price of electricity from the prices of gas, even if only temporarily?  
• To what extent have energy price rises come from energy company profiteering? 
• After the 2022 energy price shock saw generators make record profits while suppliers collapsed, how well balanced are profits and costs across the energy market?  
• What’s the future of energy windfall taxes? 
• What is the plan for the North Sea now? 
• How well prepared is the UK with energy stores and reserves for an energy supply emergency?  
• What can Government do to manage energy prices beyond subsidising bills?  
• In the worst-case scenario of a prolonged price shock, what capacity does Government have now to support UK consumers and business?  
• How exposed is the UK energy system to targeted physical attacks or cyber-attacks? 
• What is the impact going to be now on fossil fuel prices for cars and heating across the country?  
• What has the UK learned from Ukraine about diversifying and protecting energy supplies? 
• How should the Government embed energy security in national security planning?