Government says it is NOT backing a price freeze for the Big Six

The Government has denied reports that it has urged the Big Six energy companies to freeze prices until the middle of 2015, leading to calls from Labour to clarify its position.

Shadow energy minister Tom Greatrex claimed the Coalition is now backing a price freeze, despite saying Labour’s proposal for a 20-month freeze would be impossible to introduce.

Mr Greatrex urged an energy minister to attend the Commons to explain the Government’s thinking.

It comes after Prime Minister David Cameron derided Labour leader Ed Miliband’s pledge to end the energy “rip-off” and freeze bills for 20 months should his party be elected in 2015.

Mr Greatrex said the Government must “confirm, deny, clarify or muddle this latest shambles on energy policy."

Raising a point of order in the Commons, Mr Greatrex told Deputy Speaker Eleanor Laing: "You may be aware there's been extensive media coverage last night and then this morning that the Government, after claiming for several weeks that an energy price freeze is not possible, are now asking companies to freeze their prices."

Ms Laing replied: "You know this is not a point of order. You have made your point. If you had wished to put an urgent question before the Commons that could have been considered. Perhaps you will think of that next time you wish to raise a matter in the chamber."

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said at a Westminster briefing: “The Government has not asked for a price freeze."

"The Prime Minister, the Government, other ministers have been clear that we want to see cost pressures going down and not up when it comes to energy bills, we've been very clear about that.

"Given that we are looking at rolling back the cost of some of the levies the only surprise would be if we weren't in discussions with the energy companies."

Additional reporting by PA