Gordon Brown needs to appoint a dedicated 'energy minister' at cabinet level tasked with helping UK businesses cope with soaring utilities costs, it has been argued.

Recent figures released by the Energy Intensive User Group showed that British firms currently pay around 16% more for gas than their European counterparts, while, according to the British Plastics Federation (BPF), some industries have seen energy prices rise by as much as 100% over the past couple of years.

Though the current energy minister Malcolm Wicks has pledged to take steps aimed at alleviating an energy crisis, BPF chairman Peter Davis has argued that, due to the impact the issue has on the economy, a position needs to be created in Mr Brown's cabinet to push things forward at a faster pace.

"We need someone at Cabinet level to do this so that he can bang the Cabinet table and argue with the chancellor over funds and with other ministers over planning," he told PRW.com.

Also struggling from rising energy costs are the UK's brewers, with Coors having raised its beer prices for the second time this year as a result of higher electricity, gas and barley rates.