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Energy Bill

moved Amendment No. 14: 14: Clause 31, page 17, line 21, at end insert ““and about the examination by inspectors of the closing of the facility”” The noble Lord said: This amendment concerns the way that storage facilities will be closed and how this process will be inspected. It is a reaffirmation of the role of the inspectors in the closure of facilities and makes plain that it is the operator of the facility who will bear the cost. That point relating to the costs remains unclear in the Bill as it stands, and we hope that the Minister will be able to provide some clarification on the point, as well as the reasons for omitting this from the Bill. We welcome the confirmation from the Minister in the other place that the liability and responsibility for the store will remain with the licensee. Yet he also said that the licence, and therefore the liability, would be terminated only when there was, "““sufficient evidence to confirm that it is safe and secure””.—[Official Report, Commons, Energy Bill Committee, 26/2/08; col. 257.]" Can the Minister explain the criteria in more detail? It seems that the people making such a judgment will be inspectors of some sort. Will the cost of the final inspection still be borne by the licensee? Clause 27 gives the Secretary of State the power to make regulations specifying the powers and duties of inspectors. We do not seek to replicate those powers with the amendment or cause an instance of unnecessary duplication in the legislation, but we do think that this is the sort of assurance that ought to appear in the Bill. What assurances can the Minister give regarding the shape of these regulations? Will specific mention be made of inspection of facilities when the licences are being terminated? Noble Lords will understand our concern on this point. A real danger is posed when these facilities are closed down and we want to be absolutely certain that all efforts are made to ensure the safety of the public and the environment. I beg to move.