West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin today repeated her support for measures to help local people with rising energy prices as the Government reversed announcement made in a ‘fiscal event’ two weeks ago.

And Harriett welcomed the appointment of Jeremy Hunt as the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, together with a shift in policy to follow a more ‘fiscally responsible’ approach.

The Government has moved decisively through the summer to implement measures which will help to help people with higher energy costs with including a £400 payment to all households to help with their energy bills and specific extra measures for lower income households of up to £2,200 which will also stay in place as a result of this week's revised plan.

Harriett commented:

“I am on record expressing my worries about the threat of inflation and public borrowing and have urged a fiscally responsible approach to dealing with this global economic crisis.

“I am a huge supporter of Jeremy Hunt, having worked closely with him at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and I am confident that he will make the right calls to get our economy back on track.

“It is important to remember that the support measures to help people with their energy bills are still in place but the Chancellor is being entirely transparent about the challenges that lie ahead.

“We simply have to get inflation under control which will offer greater certainty to us all. Like many people, I will be closely studying the report published by the Office for Budget Responsibility to understand what approaches the Government can credibly take to restore our economy to growth as quickly as possible.”