New clause 1 (Smart meter roll-out for prepayment customers), considered with new clauses 2 and 38, debated and withdrawn. New clause 2 (Restriction of the use of prepayment meters) negatived on division. New clause 5 (Net Zero compatibility test) negatived on question. New clause 6 (Just Transition Commission) debated and withdrawn. New clause 33 (Purposes) negatived on division (7 votes to 9), new clause 38 (Restriction of the use of prepayment meters), and new clause 39 (Guarantee for consumer protection), negatived on division (7 votes to 9 in each case). New clause 41 (Energy performance regulations relating to existing premises) negatived on division (6 votes to 9). New clause 43 (North Sea Transition Authority) debated and withdrawn. New clause 44 (Maximum economic recovery in the North Sea) under consideration.

New clause 1 (Smart meter roll-out for prepayment customers), considered with new clauses 2 and 38, debated and withdrawn. New clause 2 (Restriction of the use of prepayment meters) negatived on division. New clause 5 (Net Zero compatibility test) negatived on question. New clause 6 (Just Transition Commission) debated and...

Lords committee stage third day. Clauses 84 to 87 agreed to as amended. Clauses 88 to 99 agreed to. Schedule 5 agreed to. Clause 100 agreed to as amended. Clauses 101 to 109 agreed to.

Lords committee stage third day. Clauses 84 to 87 agreed to as amended. Clauses 88 to 99 agreed to. Schedule 5 agreed to. Clause 100 agreed to as amended. Clauses 101 to 109 agreed to.

Moved by

Lord Callanan

90: Clause 84, page 75, line 30, leave out “and legacy”

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment and the amendment in the name of Lord Callanan at page 75, line 31 are consequential on the amendment in the name of Lord Callanan at page 71, line 34.

Moved by

Lord Callanan

90: Clause 84, page 75, line 30, leave out “and legacy”

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment and the amendment in the name of Lord Callanan at page 75, line 31 are consequential on the amendment in the name of Lord Callanan at page 71, line 34.

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to be back in Committee once again, debating the Energy Bill. I thank noble Lords for their patience during the interregnum. Noble Lords will recall that the Bill was necessarily paused following the death of Her Majesty the Queen. However, we have always...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to be back in Committee once again, debating the Energy Bill. I thank noble Lords for their patience during the interregnum. Noble Lords will recall that the Bill was necessarily paused following the death of Her Majesty the Queen. However, we have always...

My Lords, I welcome the Bill’s return to Committee; I am very pleased that that is the case. I have no comments to make on the amendments, but I note that during that interregnum, as the Minister described it, the Government gave planning permission for a coal mine. Although we...

My Lords, I welcome the Bill’s return to Committee; I am very pleased that that is the case. I have no comments to make on the amendments, but I note that during that interregnum, as the Minister described it, the Government gave planning permission for a coal mine. Although we...

My Lords, I am also delighted to be debating the Energy Bill again. I am delighted that the noble Lord is still the Minister so that we at least have continuity on the Bill; it remains much the same as it was before we left it some three months ago.

As...

My Lords, I am also delighted to be debating the Energy Bill again. I am delighted that the noble Lord is still the Minister so that we at least have continuity on the Bill; it remains much the same as it was before we left it some three months ago.

As...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, and the noble Lord, Lord Lennie, for their comments, but I do not think there were any points for me to address, so I will leave it there.

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, and the noble Lord, Lord Lennie, for their comments, but I do not think there were any points for me to address, so I will leave it there.

Moved by

Lord Callanan

91: Clause 84, page 75, line 31, leave out “82(5)” and insert “82(4)”

Member's explanatory statement

See the explanatory statement for the amendment in the name of Lord Callanan at page 75, line 30.

Moved by

Lord Callanan

91: Clause 84, page 75, line 31, leave out “82(5)” and insert “82(4)”

Member's explanatory statement

See the explanatory statement for the amendment in the name of Lord Callanan at page 75, line 30.

Moved by

Lord Callanan

92: Clause 85, page 75, line 36, leave out “carbon storage” and insert “certain”

Member's explanatory statement

See the amendment in the name of Lord Callanan at page 76, line 1.

93: Clause 85, page 76, line 1, leave out subsection (3)

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment and amendments in the name of...

Moved by

Lord Callanan

92: Clause 85, page 75, line 36, leave out “carbon storage” and insert “certain”

Member's explanatory statement

See the amendment in the name of Lord Callanan at page 76, line 1.

93: Clause 85, page 76, line 1, leave out subsection (3)

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment and amendments in the name of...

My Lords, I must inform the Committee that if Amendment 98 is agreed to, I will be unable to call Amendments 99 or 100 by reason of pre-emption.

Amendment 98

My Lords, I must inform the Committee that if Amendment 98 is agreed to, I will be unable to call Amendments 99 or 100 by reason of pre-emption.

Amendment 98

Moved by

Lord Callanan

98: Clause 85, page 76, line 33, leave out from beginning to end of line 7 on page 77 and insert—

“(5) The trigger event occurs in relation to an eligible CCS installation when—

(a) a decommissioning fund (as defined in section 82(6)) has been established for providing security for...

Moved by

Lord Callanan

98: Clause 85, page 76, line 33, leave out from beginning to end of line 7 on page 77 and insert—

“(5) The trigger event occurs in relation to an eligible CCS installation when—

(a) a decommissioning fund (as defined in section 82(6)) has been established for providing security for...

Moved by

Lord Callanan

101: Clause 85, page 77, line 9, leave out “carbon storage” and insert “CCS”

Member's explanatory statement

See amendment in the name of Lord Callanan at page 76, line 1.

102: Clause 85, page 77, leave out lines 27 and 28

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment leaves out an unnecessary definition.

103: Clause 85,...

Moved by

Lord Callanan

101: Clause 85, page 77, line 9, leave out “carbon storage” and insert “CCS”

Member's explanatory statement

See amendment in the name of Lord Callanan at page 76, line 1.

102: Clause 85, page 77, leave out lines 27 and 28

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment leaves out an unnecessary definition.

103: Clause 85,...

Moved by

Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist

105: Clause 86, page 78, line 12, at end insert—

“(b) whether to make a certification under subsection (3)(b).”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment requires the Secretary of State to consult with the Oil and Gas Authority before making a certification of the kind mentioned in Lord Callanan’s...

Moved by

Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist

105: Clause 86, page 78, line 12, at end insert—

“(b) whether to make a certification under subsection (3)(b).”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment requires the Secretary of State to consult with the Oil and Gas Authority before making a certification of the kind mentioned in Lord Callanan’s...

My Lords, Amendments 105 to 109 amend Clause 86 on the availability of change of use relief for pipelines. Clause 86 mirrors Clause 85, the principal difference being that its application is to pipelines rather than to installations. As such, these amendments also mirror those covered in the previous group.

As...

My Lords, Amendments 105 to 109 amend Clause 86 on the availability of change of use relief for pipelines. Clause 86 mirrors Clause 85, the principal difference being that its application is to pipelines rather than to installations. As such, these amendments also mirror those covered in the previous group.

As...

My Lords, I really have just one question for the Minister, and it is on decommissioning funds. It is not clear to me—that may be because I have not gone through the absolute intricacies of all these lines—who actually holds the funds for the decommissioning fund. Are they banked, are...

My Lords, I really have just one question for the Minister, and it is on decommissioning funds. It is not clear to me—that may be because I have not gone through the absolute intricacies of all these lines—who actually holds the funds for the decommissioning fund. Are they banked, are...

They are all government amendments.

They are all government amendments.

Forgive me. I am looking at a slightly out-of-date document. Anyway, that is the area that I would be interested to understand from the Minister. We will come to other amendments another time.

Forgive me. I am looking at a slightly out-of-date document. Anyway, that is the area that I would be interested to understand from the Minister. We will come to other amendments another time.

I too welcome the return of the Bill. It is quite interesting to reflect back to the first and second days in Committee, when we

were recording the hottest temperatures that we had ever experienced in this country and were making full use of that experience. We were also in...

I too welcome the return of the Bill. It is quite interesting to reflect back to the first and second days in Committee, when we

were recording the hottest temperatures that we had ever experienced in this country and were making full use of that experience. We were also in...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, and the noble Baroness, Lady Blake, for their remarks. I will start with the noble Baroness’s final question. As set out in the Government’s response to that consultation, it is expected that the owners of the asset will submit their assessment of the...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, and the noble Baroness, Lady Blake, for their remarks. I will start with the noble Baroness’s final question. As set out in the Government’s response to that consultation, it is expected that the owners of the asset will submit their assessment of the...

I thank the Minister for that very useful answer. Let me get that correct: the funds are being held by the commercial companies that are putting this money aside. Is that ring-fenced? If they go bankrupt, is that lost? How does it work?

I thank the Minister for that very useful answer. Let me get that correct: the funds are being held by the commercial companies that are putting this money aside. Is that ring-fenced? If they go bankrupt, is that lost? How does it work?