She was speaking during a debate on the cost of energy in Parliament this morning.
Speaking afterwards the DUP MP said, “Figures released this week by the Utility Regulator in Northern Ireland show that small businesses here were typically paying 35.3 p/kWh for their electricity. This is almost 10p/kWh more for their electricity than their counterparts in the rest of the UK and around 4p/kWh more than those in the Republic of Ireland.
Growing the economy is key to building a better Northern Ireland, but our businesses are placed at a competitive disadvantage by high energy costs, particularly when compared to businesses located across the border. The Government has provided support on energy costs, but they should be looking towards the continuation of such support, particularly for small and medium sized businesses.
Many businesses are struggling to stay afloat and one of the most significant problems they face is spiralling energy costs. The cost to our economy through those business closing would be significantly higher than the support for energy costs would be. Businesses just want to be able to trade, but they need to have condition where this is viable. That is why such support is necessary.”
