The government will decide by the summer on controversial proposals to charge some households more for their electricity than others, Sky News understands.

The energy secretary Ed Miliband has been mulling over plans for “zonal pricing”, which would see different regions of the country pay different rates, based on supply and demand levels in the local area.

The idea is to attract industry to build in low-cost areas, and incentivise new electricity generation in regions where people need it most.

Supporters say zonal pricing could lower everyone’s bills to some extent by making the system more efficient – but some would fall more than others.

Critics, including renewable energy generators, warn the plans would create a postcode lottery for bills and put investors off certain areas, risking jobs.

It is not yet clear how the changes would be passed on to household bills. But it could see people in the south of England pay much more than those in parts of Scotland – though not, the government hopes, more than they do now.

Mr Miliband is expected to make his recommendation to fellow government ministers in the coming weeks, before the government decides either way by the middle of this year.

They are keen to resolve the issue – which was also considered under the last Tory government – before businesses start bidding for fresh renewable power contracts in summer.

UK still ‘vulnerable and exposed’

It comes as the UK government hosts a summit on energy security in London today, lobbying other countries to leave fossil fuels behind.

Read more: UK clean energy vision collides with Trump’s fossil fuel frenzy

Mr Miliband said the government’s push to generate more clean power at home was as much about energy security as it was about fighting climate change.

“As long as energy can be weaponised against us, our countries and our citizens are vulnerable and exposed,” he said in a speech.

But he also said North Sea oil and gas would “continue to play an important role” in the UK energy mix, fuelling campaigners’ fears it may yet allow the Rosebank oil and gas field to go ahead, despite hurdles in court and the government’s own concerns.

Mr Miliband quoted a message from King Charles that said the “transition to more sustainable energy sources can itself lead to more resilient and secure energy systems”.

Trump’s representative invokes God

US President Donald Trump’s junior representative at the summit, acting assistant secretary Tommy Joyce, quoted the Bible in his address.

He urged delegates to “remember God’s golden rule, and that is that we should love our neighbour as ourselves”.

That means helping them out of poverty through access to affordable energy, according to Mr Joyce.

About 750 million people in the world still have no access to electricity, and team Trump says American oil, gas and coal are the answer.

However, a report by RMI suggests that new wind and solar are the cheapest option for new electricity in 82% of the world – though for some countries are hard to finance upfront.

Mr Joyce also continued Trump’s ongoing attacks on climate policies, criticising what he described as “so-called renewables” and the “net zero agenda”.

‘Most delicate debate’

Before the summit, a senior UN official said the idea that the switch to clean power compromised energy security and affordability “is just not true”.

“We really need to dispel this notion,” said the source, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “If you are dependent on volatile and expensive fossil fuel imports, fossil fuels equal energy insecurity.”

A senior official from Brazil, which in November is hosting the COP30 UN climate summit, also this week said there had been a “rather successful” attempt by some to frame energy security and the switch to clean energy as a question of “either/or”.

“We don’t believe it is.”

He called it “one of the most delicate debates” of the moment.

Pepper spray will now be used in young offender institutions – where the rate of assaults on staff is 14 times higher than in adult prisons.

Specially trained prison officers in England will be allowed to use PAVA, a synthetic pepper spray, “as a last resort” to help de-escalate and diffuse violent situations from this summer.

They will only be allowed to use the spray in limited circumstances where there is serious violence or an imminent risk of it taking place, and ministers will review its use after 12 months.

Read more: Ed Miliband reads out rare message from King Charles

New figures show the rate of assaults in England’s three youth offender institutions is around 14 times higher than in adult prisons.

Assaults by children and young people on staff at HMYOI Feltham A, HMYOI Werrington and HMYOI Wetherby increased by nearly 25% in 2024 compared with the previous year.

The Ministry of Justice hopes allowing officers to use pepper spray will keep young people in custody safe so they can focus on rehabilitation and reduce reoffending.

Minister for youth justice Sir Nic Dakin said: “This government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis.

“The unacceptable levels of violence faced by our brave frontline officers in young offender institutions is yet another symptom of that.

“This is not a decision we have made lightly, but our overarching duty is to keep staff and young people in custody safe.

“This spray is a vital tool to prevent serious violence, helping staff to focus on rehabilitation as part of our plan for change.”

Pepper spray is already used on children and adults in the community, and in adult prisons.

It can be used during the most serious incidents in youth offender institutions, but only by national tactical response officers, who are nationally based and have to be authorised to go into an institution by a prison gold commander.

Deploying officers can take more than an hour, and because altercations often arise rapidly and with little warning, they can rarely arrive in time to respond to the violence.

The number of young people in custody has fallen significantly in recent years, however, the majority in youth offender institutions are older teenage boys, aged 16 to 18 years old.

More than two-thirds are there for violent offences such as murder, attempted murder and grievous bodily harm.

Safety concerns have been rising, with recent incidents seeing young offenders seriously injured and staff experiencing fractures, dislocations, puncture wounds and lacerations.

Staff acting as body shields

A senior Ministry of Justice source told Sky News many of the boys are the same size as adults.

They said a recent example includes a boy being attacked last Monday by five other boys who stamped on his head and stabbed him with a handmade weapon.

“I’ve got staff here that are putting their bodies in the way to defend and try and prevent injuries happening to young people, and as a result of that they’re being injured themselves,” they said.

“I think that’s a prime example of where if we’ve got an incapacitant spray like PAVA it could be utilised effectively to defuse the situation and not only cause significant harm to my staff but also to young people.”

Like rubbing chillies in your eyes

The source explained the pepper spray has the same effect as if you rub chillies in your eye while cooking, with eyes experiencing a burning sensation, closing up, and producing tears and snot – “but it passes”.

They said when they tested the spray on themselves, it took 45 minutes to an hour to pass and people have different levels of discomfort and irritation.

“It means you physically can’t respond in the way you normally do, so that ability to then ask the staff to step in because that person is impacted by it is the crucial stuff,” they added.