GEOFFREY Cox, MP for Torridge and West Devon, is to participate in a parliamentary inquiry into fuel poverty — and has called for urgent new measures to help families and pensioners who are struggling to make ends meet this winter.

The MP is a member of the influential House of Commons EFRA Select Committee, which will undertake the inquiry, and has recently received evidence from constituents of apparently 'heavy handed' and 'unreasonable' behaviour from some utility companies.

He intends to raise evidence of unfair practices of energy companies with them, when they appear before the Committee.

Some villagers in Stowford in West Devon have received huge electricity bills claiming thousands of pounds going back five years because their meters have been inaccurately read by EDF employees. The bills have been followed up by threats that they will be cut off if they do not pay immediately.

Geoffrey Cox has written to the chief executive of EDF Energy describing the action as 'deplorable' and asking him to look into the cases. Similarly, the MP said there was 'clear evidence' that energy companies were charging excessive premiums for those who have pre-payment meters and who do not pay by direct debit. 

Mr Cox said: 'One in five families is now estimated to live in fuel poverty.

'According to Age Concern, there are more winter deaths in Britain than in colder European countries‚ such as Finland‚ Denmark and Austria. The average gas and electricity bill in the South West has now soared to £1,292 a year.'

Mr Cox is supporting a series of Conservative proposals to tackle fuel poverty.

He said: 'With gas and electricity bills at record highs, people in Torridge and West Devon face their toughest winter for years. Without urgent help, many will have to choose between staying warm and going into debt.

'For example, it is unacceptable that the most vulnerable people on pre-payment meters should be targeted by the energy companies to pay more than their fair share.

'That should be banned at once. Ways must be found, such as the expanded use of the Post Office Card Account, of enabling those who do not pay their bills through a bank account to benefit from the discount given for paying by direct debit.

'It is also quite wrong that pensioners and the low paid should be landed with huge demands for immediate payment of arrears, backed up by threats, that are due to the companies' own negligence. I shall be raising these matters with the energy companies when they give evidence to the inquiry.'