My Lords, the amendment deals with cross-market issues and, I hope helpfully, suggests some flexibility. Other amendments simply insert a clearer reference to the consumer interest. I greatly welcome the reference in this part of the Bill to cross-market cases. Often, consumer or supplier abuse found in one sector is...

My Lords, the amendment deals with cross-market issues and, I hope helpfully, suggests some flexibility. Other amendments simply insert a clearer reference to the consumer interest. I greatly welcome the reference in this part of the Bill to cross-market cases. Often, consumer or supplier abuse found in one sector is...

Letter dated 17/12/2012 from Viscount Younger of Leckie to Lord Stevenson of Balmacara regarding points raised during the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform bill debate on 12 December. 1 p.

Letter dated 17/12/2012 from Viscount Younger of Leckie to Lord Stevenson of Balmacara regarding points raised during the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform bill debate on 12 December. 1 p.

Letter dated 17/12/2012 from Viscount Younger of Leckie to Lord Whitty regarding points raised during the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform bill debate on 12 December. 1 p.

Letter dated 17/12/2012 from Viscount Younger of Leckie to Lord Whitty regarding points raised during the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform bill debate on 12 December. 1 p.

I. Dear Colleague letter dated 17/12/2012 from Baroness Verma regarding smart meters - putting consumers in control of their energy use. 6 p. II. Smart metering implementation programme. Government response to a consultation on a licence condition for security risk assessments and audits in the period before the DCC provides services to smart meters. 25 p. III. Smart metering: data access and privacy. Public attitudes research. 59 p. IV. Smart meters programme: Government response to consultation on information requirements for monitoring and evaluation. 60 p. V. Smart metering implementation programme: data access and privacy. Government response to consultation. 94 p. VI. Smart meter implementation programme: Government response to the consultation on the consumer energy strategy. 99 p.

I. Dear Colleague letter dated 17/12/2012 from Baroness Verma regarding smart meters - putting consumers in control of their energy use. 6 p. II. Smart metering implementation programme. Government response to a consultation on a licence condition for security risk assessments and audits in the period before the DCC provides...

My Lords, the order is made under the Public Bodies Act 2011 to modify the funding arrangements for the Drinking Water Inspectorate. The order will enable the inspectorate to charge water companies for the regulatory activity from which these companies benefit.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate is the drinking water quality regulator...

My Lords, the order is made under the Public Bodies Act 2011 to modify the funding arrangements for the Drinking Water Inspectorate. The order will enable the inspectorate to charge water companies for the regulatory activity from which these companies benefit.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate is the drinking water quality regulator...

I thank the Minister for his introduction and explanation of the order. I will not detain the Committee for long, as it seems largely straightforward.

The issue is the switch of payments for the regulatory function of the Drinking Water Inspectorate, which will be made in future by customers rather than...

I thank the Minister for his introduction and explanation of the order. I will not detain the Committee for long, as it seems largely straightforward.

The issue is the switch of payments for the regulatory function of the Drinking Water Inspectorate, which will be made in future by customers rather than...

My Lords, the Government are committed to everyone in England and Wales having access to clean, wholesome drinking water and keeping water bills at an affordable level. Approval of this order will enable the Drinking Water Inspectorate to recover the cost of regulatory activities from the water companies which benefit...

My Lords, the Government are committed to everyone in England and Wales having access to clean, wholesome drinking water and keeping water bills at an affordable level. Approval of this order will enable the Drinking Water Inspectorate to recover the cost of regulatory activities from the water companies which benefit...

My Lords, the Minister has done very well in answering all the questions but one, which was regarding Ofwat having to agree to any changes and increases in the charges from year to year.

My Lords, the Minister has done very well in answering all the questions but one, which was regarding Ofwat having to agree to any changes and increases in the charges from year to year.

My Lords, the cost will not be subject to Ofwat control but will require approval by Ministers. I hope that that satisfies the noble Lord.

On the basis of that, I thank the noble Lord for his questions and I ask the Committee to agree the order.

My Lords, the cost will not be subject to Ofwat control but will require approval by Ministers. I hope that that satisfies the noble Lord.

On the basis of that, I thank the noble Lord for his questions and I ask the Committee to agree the order.

Motion to consider agreed to on question.

Motion to consider agreed to on question.

Clauses 20 and 21 agreed to. Schedule 4 agreed to.

Clauses 20 and 21 agreed to. Schedule 4 agreed to.

Moved by

Lord Whitty

24ZA: Clause 20, page 14, line 10, after “competition,” insert “including actions to reduce cartels, monopolies and monopsonies,”

Moved by

Lord Whitty

24ZA: Clause 20, page 14, line 10, after “competition,” insert “including actions to reduce cartels, monopolies and monopsonies,”

My Lords, we now come to a part of the Bill which, at Second Reading, I said I regarded as in the “relatively good” category compared with some other parts of the Bill that we will be debating. Broadly speaking, that means that we approve of the objectives of this...

My Lords, we now come to a part of the Bill which, at Second Reading, I said I regarded as in the “relatively good” category compared with some other parts of the Bill that we will be debating. Broadly speaking, that means that we approve of the objectives of this...

My Lords, I address my amendment in this group, Amendment 24ZCA. I am not sure that we really know how to deal with monopsonies, it has been so long since we had one that was truly powerful. I am not sure that the Bill gives us the ability to deal...

My Lords, I address my amendment in this group, Amendment 24ZCA. I am not sure that we really know how to deal with monopsonies, it has been so long since we had one that was truly powerful. I am not sure that the Bill gives us the ability to deal...

My Lords, this is a useful amendment for my noble friend Lord Whitty to move at the outset because it is broad and makes important points. I also thought that the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, brought an interesting matter before us. I do not think that it is necessary to...

My Lords, this is a useful amendment for my noble friend Lord Whitty to move at the outset because it is broad and makes important points. I also thought that the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, brought an interesting matter before us. I do not think that it is necessary to...

I thank noble Lords for their suggested amendments and I appreciate the sentiments expressed by the noble Lord, Lord Whitty, regarding this part of the Bill.

Beginning with the amendments in the names of the noble Baroness, Lady Hayter, and the noble Lord, Lord Whitty, Amendments 24ZA and 24ZC seek to...

I thank noble Lords for their suggested amendments and I appreciate the sentiments expressed by the noble Lord, Lord Whitty, regarding this part of the Bill.

Beginning with the amendments in the names of the noble Baroness, Lady Hayter, and the noble Lord, Lord Whitty, Amendments 24ZA and 24ZC seek to...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have spoken, in particular the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, because he gave an example that I should have thought of. It is clear that Amazon has a dominant position in a buying and selling market. It is exactly the kind of case...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have spoken, in particular the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, because he gave an example that I should have thought of. It is clear that Amazon has a dominant position in a buying and selling market. It is exactly the kind of case...

Moved by

Lord Whitty

24ZB: Clause 20, page 14, line 11, at end insert—

“( ) The CMA shall have responsibility for the strategic direction of all statutory consumer support including—

(a) advocacy,

(b) education,

(c) advice,

(d) enforcement of redress

(e) guidance, and

(f) consumer protection,

as it relates to competition and fair trading, taking particular account of the...

Moved by

Lord Whitty

24ZB: Clause 20, page 14, line 11, at end insert—

“( ) The CMA shall have responsibility for the strategic direction of all statutory consumer support including—

(a) advocacy,

(b) education,

(c) advice,

(d) enforcement of redress

(e) guidance, and

(f) consumer protection,

as it relates to competition and fair trading, taking particular account of the...

My Lords, this amendment puts the consumer interest at the centre of everything that we are doing. A number of organisations have, one way and another, had some changes proposed to them in the consumer field in recent years, since the advent of this Government, who call it the “consumer...

My Lords, this amendment puts the consumer interest at the centre of everything that we are doing. A number of organisations have, one way and another, had some changes proposed to them in the consumer field in recent years, since the advent of this Government, who call it the “consumer...

I would like to make clear at this point that I agree with every single word that the noble Lord said. I hope to have similar support from him when the time comes.

I would like to make clear at this point that I agree with every single word that the noble Lord said. I hope to have similar support from him when the time comes.