Prime Minister

Prime Minister

David Cameron: "I am frustrated by the 'Big Six' because I want to see the 'Big Sixty' and to see many more energy companies.

"You don't get competition through nationalisation. You get competition through privatisation and proper regulation and making it possible for companies to come into the market. That is what is happening in energy."

Energy Secretary Ed Davey: "Customers are not just cash cows to be squeezed in the pursuit of a higher return for shareholders.

"Trust between those who supply energy and those who use it is breaking down.

"It is so difficult for people to work out what exactly they are paying for that they fear the big energy companies are taking them for a ride when bills go up.

"Fair or not, they look at the big suppliers and they see a reflection of the greed that consumed the banks."

First Minister Alex Salmond, addressing MSPs after meeting with energy regulator Ofgem: "They showed me some figures which indeed are extremely frightening.

"They suggest that twice over the next two winters, we are facing a lack of margin of supply over demand which could result certainly in brownouts, perhaps even in blackouts. That's lack of electricity supply.

"One of the things that will happen if we approach that situation of low margin is that prices will increase exponentially as people try desperately to get that last kilowatt of electricity.

"Two things are necessary if competition in this market is to be applied properly.

"Firstly there has to be a surplus of supply over demand, where companies compete to supply people with electricity. Second, there has to be transparency in bills so people can make that choice."