Written question asked by Jonathan Sayeed (Conservative) on Friday, 16 November 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 26 November 2001. It was answered by Brian Wilson (Labour) on Monday, 26 November 2001 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the effect of deregulation and privatisation of the energy industry.

Answer: Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effect of deregulation and privatisation of the energy industry. [16740] Mr. Wilson: The Government's central energy policy objective is to ensure secure, diverse and sustainable energy supplies at competitive prices. They consider that competitive markets and companies are the key to achieving this. Government's role is to set the right framework and to deal with issues that the market alone, as it emerged following energy privatisations, may be unable to address. The Government have, therefore, provided the appropriate legal framework for competitive energy markets and the economic development of Britain's energy resources consistent with safety and environmental protection. They have also further modernised the framework of energy regulation through the Utilities Act 2000 to give primary importance to protecting the interests of consumers, while minimising the regulatory burden on industry wherever possible.

Secondary information