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Energy Bill

I, too, support the amendment, primarily for the reason I gave at Second Reading that I feel that one of the major criticisms of the Bill is the lack of a sense of urgency. I take the point of the noble Lord, Lord O’Neill, about the precise date of what can be done by a particular time. If the amendment is carried and if it is necessary at a later stage to put in a different date, so be it. It is worth bearing in mind that the new smart meters are likely to be significantly less expensive and faster to fit than the conventional meters we know and love. Finally, it is worth pointing out that the provision of smart meters has an important bearing on another part of the Government’s, and I hope the country’s, agenda—identifying fuel poverty. One can see in real time what is not happening and take action.