Grant Shapps banned energy ministers from taking foreign trips

Exclusive: energy secretary issued edict to deal with ‘outrageous’ backlog of support for paying bills

Ministers in the newly formed energy department faced a ban on foreign trips due to a mounting backlog of issues raised with them by MPs, the Guardian can reveal.

Grant Shapps issued the edict last month in a bid to speed up the “outrageously” slow response to cases raised on behalf of constituents, some of whom were struggling to claim support with their energy bills during the cost of living crisis.