A campaign that would inform Britons how they could save energy and reduce their bills this winter was pulled by the Prime Minister because of the cost.

In an interview with the BBC, Nadhim Zahawi, Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and Minister for Equalities, said: “What the Prime Minister quite rightly has done is to say, ‘we don’t need to spend £14 million or £15 million on another campaign if National Grid and Ofgem are doing that work.”

Mr Zahawi said the information on measures that could help households save energy was available on government websites.

He added: “That is, I think, being prudent with taxpayers’ money.”

It had been previously reported that the £15 million public information campaign had the backing of the Business Secretary initially but later created controversy in the Cabinet.

While Former Pensions Minister, Guy Opperman, said he was “fully behind” the campaign, Climate Minister Graham Stuart said: “We are not a nanny state government.”

Asked whether the government was preparing for the possibility of blackouts, Nadhim Zahawi said: “It is a very unlikely scenario. I am confident that the resilience is there that people can enjoy their Christmas and government is behind them helping them with their energy bills.”

Last week, in its Winter Outlook report, the National Grid ESO said under a “highly unlikely” scenario of a gas shortage in Britain, there would be disruption in customers’ energy supplies.