Green levies on energy bills will not be scrapped to help with the cost-of-living crisis, Boris Johnson indicated as he rebuffed a proposal backed by prominent Tories.

Speaking during his visit to India, Mr Johnson said there was “a lot of prejudice against the green agenda” in a defence of his push to decarbonise the economy.

He did not rule out further action before the autumn Budget to help ease living costs, but backed the measures already announced.

Green levies, which help fund the Government’s social and environmental schemes, are estimated to add around £150 to the average household’s yearly energy bill. Slashing them has been championed by several Tories and the energy industry as a way of bringing down soaring costs.

Lord Frost, who left Mr Johnson’s Cabinet in December, and Robert Halfon, the Tory education select committee chairman, have backed the levies being scaled back. But Mr Johnson dismissed that idea and said: “I want to do everything we can to alleviate the cost of living.

“There’s a lot of prejudice against the green agenda. Actually, green technology, green, sustainable electricity, can help to reduce bills.

“Overall, if you look at what we have done with renewables it has helped to reduce bills over the last few years and will continue to do so. That’s why one of the things I want to do is use this moment to really drive towards more offshore wind turbines.”