Coalition must take action over inflated energy bills

IT IS time for the Government to do something drastic to protect families from profiteering energy companies. We are halfway through another round of enormous price rises, with three of the “Big Six” having announced similar increases and three more certain to follow.

Ministers who advise consumers to switch between the companies are insulting the intelligence of the public as no one provider significantly undercuts its rivals for long in this industry.

When a Tory former prime minister floats the idea of an excess profits tax nobody can pretend any longer that for the state to intervene in this market is a sign of extreme socialist thinking. But John Major yesterday floated just such an idea and on this score at least David Cameron should listen to the advice of his predecessor.

Next week MPs on the Commons Energy Select Committee will question representatives from the power companies about their pricing policies and it is certainly true that green energy obligations are adding to cost pressures.

But going into winter it is just not acceptable that these mainly foreignowned firms should be plunging so many British families into fuel poverty. Exactly what Mr Cameron does to stop them is up to him. But stop them he must.

WHEN is a naughty little boy not a naughty little boy? When his mother decides that it’s not her problem, mainly. Five- year- old Harry Reid was expelled from his primary school when his head teacher reportedly claimed he was “the naughtiest boy I’ve ever met” and declared she was unable to deal with him any more.

His mother Debbie says Harry is autistic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD) and that the school has “given up” on him and should take him back.

Now Debbie’s his mum. Of course he’s the most important thing in all this as far as she’s concerned but autism and ADHD do not necessarily on their own make children assault their teacher.

About 20 per cent of autistic children get suspended but about 50 per cent get bullied. It’s far more likely to cause vulnerability than violent outbursts so I’ve little sympathy for Debbie’s claims that her son’s problems are entirely responsible for his behaviour.

It’s far more likely that helping her son to overcome his mild special needs is so far beyond her that she’s dumping responsibility for it on the school. Does she appreciate that the school has a responsibility to all the children in Harry’s class? If he’s acting up there are 30 other youngsters who aren’t getting taught.

Whether Harry’s autism is the root of the problems or whether he’s just a little terror, those children don’t deserve to have their education disrupted because of him.