My Lords, other noble Lords have declared interests of various degrees of science and engineering distinction. My only declaration is that I happen to be the president of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, to which reference has very kindly been made, and chairman of the Foundation for Science and Technology....

My Lords, other noble Lords have declared interests of various degrees of science and engineering distinction. My only declaration is that I happen to be the president of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, to which reference has very kindly been made, and chairman of the Foundation for Science and Technology....

My Lords, I speak to my two amendments in this group. I can promise noble Lords who are awaiting the next debate that I shall be much shorter than I was last time. This is a very short point. The question arises about negative or affirmative procedures for the parliamentary...

My Lords, I speak to my two amendments in this group. I can promise noble Lords who are awaiting the next debate that I shall be much shorter than I was last time. This is a very short point. The question arises about negative or affirmative procedures for the parliamentary...

My Lords, I have to say thank you again to the Government. Amendment No. 69 meets exactly the case that I made on Report and I am grateful for that. On Amendment No. 54, I consulted Ofgem and told it that I would say that it is happy with the...

My Lords, I have to say thank you again to the Government. Amendment No. 69 meets exactly the case that I made on Report and I am grateful for that. On Amendment No. 54, I consulted Ofgem and told it that I would say that it is happy with the...

moved Amendment No. 44: 44: After Clause 40, line 62, leave out ““3 megawatts”” and insert ““1 megawatt”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, I am sure the Minister and other noble Lords will recognise that in the past hour and a half, I have been exercising totally uncharacteristic reticence...

moved Amendment No. 44: 44: After Clause 40, line 62, leave out ““3 megawatts”” and insert ““1 megawatt”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, I am sure the Minister and other noble Lords will recognise that in the past hour and a half, I have been exercising totally uncharacteristic reticence...

My Lords, I am grateful to those who spoke in the debate and for the Minister’s reply, which was not wholly unhelpful. We have to debate this while being uncertain how this flexibility, which the Minister has mentioned several times, will actually work. The noble Lord, Lord Teverson, asked for...

My Lords, I am grateful to those who spoke in the debate and for the Minister’s reply, which was not wholly unhelpful. We have to debate this while being uncertain how this flexibility, which the Minister has mentioned several times, will actually work. The noble Lord, Lord Teverson, asked for...

My Lords, I am tempted just to say thank you, but I will say one more word. There is no doubt that the Minister’s officials who worked on the oil and gas amendments devoted a great deal of time and ingenuity in trying to come up with a solution that...

My Lords, I am tempted just to say thank you, but I will say one more word. There is no doubt that the Minister’s officials who worked on the oil and gas amendments devoted a great deal of time and ingenuity in trying to come up with a solution that...

moved Amendment No. 29: 29: After Clause 89, insert the following new Clause— ““Power to amend licence conditions etc: carbon dioxide emission targets and fuel poverty (1) The Secretary of State may modify— (a) a condition of a particular electricity supply licence under section 6(1)(d) of the Electricity Act 1989...

moved Amendment No. 29: 29: After Clause 89, insert the following new Clause— ““Power to amend licence conditions etc: carbon dioxide emission targets and fuel poverty (1) The Secretary of State may modify— (a) a condition of a particular electricity supply licence under section 6(1)(d) of the Electricity Act 1989...

My Lords, I can certainly assure the Minister that I have never doubted for a second the Government’s ““intent”” to try to solve the problem. My difficulty is that they keep talking about identifying and targeting, but it seems still to be a comparatively difficult task. The information that I...

My Lords, I can certainly assure the Minister that I have never doubted for a second the Government’s ““intent”” to try to solve the problem. My difficulty is that they keep talking about identifying and targeting, but it seems still to be a comparatively difficult task. The information that I...

I do not want in any sense to criticise the noble Lord, Lord Oxburgh, because not only is he is extremely knowledgeable about these matters but he is pursuing an issue of transcendent importance to the future energy of this country. I just question whether, as a matter of interpretation—it...

I do not want in any sense to criticise the noble Lord, Lord Oxburgh, because not only is he is extremely knowledgeable about these matters but he is pursuing an issue of transcendent importance to the future energy of this country. I just question whether, as a matter of interpretation—it...

My Lords, my Amendment No. 30 has been linked with the amendment moved by the noble Lord, Lord Oxburgh, and I congratulate him on erecting a fascinating superstructure of argument and anxiety on the somewhat slender foundations of his own amendment. The noble Lord has freely acknowledged to me in...

My Lords, my Amendment No. 30 has been linked with the amendment moved by the noble Lord, Lord Oxburgh, and I congratulate him on erecting a fascinating superstructure of argument and anxiety on the somewhat slender foundations of his own amendment. The noble Lord has freely acknowledged to me in...

My Lords, I am sorry to interrupt the noble Lord, but these are hugely important issues. He will be aware that the existing guidance under Section 3B of the Electricity Act 1989, as amended, states that the Secretary of State, "““shall from time to time issue guidance””." Perhaps I should...

My Lords, I am sorry to interrupt the noble Lord, but these are hugely important issues. He will be aware that the existing guidance under Section 3B of the Electricity Act 1989, as amended, states that the Secretary of State, "““shall from time to time issue guidance””." Perhaps I should...

My Lords, the noble Lord said that we cannot put this right in the last two days’ consideration of the Bill. Given that he has taken a full part in this matter, he will recognise that this issue has figured at every stage of the Bill’s consideration in both Houses....

My Lords, the noble Lord said that we cannot put this right in the last two days’ consideration of the Bill. Given that he has taken a full part in this matter, he will recognise that this issue has figured at every stage of the Bill’s consideration in both Houses....

moved Amendment No. 21: 21: After Clause 80, insert the following new Clause— ““Electricity distribution ““Charges relating to connections (1) Section 16A of the Electricity Act 1989 (c. 29) (procedure for requiring a connection) is amended as follows. (2) For subsection (3), substitute— ““(3) The person requiring a connection shall...

moved Amendment No. 21: 21: After Clause 80, insert the following new Clause— ““Electricity distribution ““Charges relating to connections (1) Section 16A of the Electricity Act 1989 (c. 29) (procedure for requiring a connection) is amended as follows. (2) For subsection (3), substitute— ““(3) The person requiring a connection shall...

My Lords, I am grateful for that. It would be a miracle if something drafted by anyone other than parliamentary counsel actually met the Government’s requirements. Occasionally it happens, but I well understand that on most occasions it does not. We will have to look at the amendment that is...

My Lords, I am grateful for that. It would be a miracle if something drafted by anyone other than parliamentary counsel actually met the Government’s requirements. Occasionally it happens, but I well understand that on most occasions it does not. We will have to look at the amendment that is...

My Lords, I got mine.

My Lords, I got mine.

My Lords, the Government have been as good as their word and met the point that I made. We shall watch for the first reports on energy security with great interest. This is a matter of increasing public concern, not least following the interruption of supplies some months ago when...

My Lords, the Government have been as good as their word and met the point that I made. We shall watch for the first reports on energy security with great interest. This is a matter of increasing public concern, not least following the interruption of supplies some months ago when...

My Lords, before the noble Lord sits down—bearing in mind that we are on Report—the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, asked about the German plant. It is small, but they claim to have a working CCS plant. Can the Minister tell us anything of what the Government know about that?

My Lords, before the noble Lord sits down—bearing in mind that we are on Report—the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, asked about the German plant. It is small, but they claim to have a working CCS plant. Can the Minister tell us anything of what the Government know about that?

My Lords, I am grateful for that. It is a very important matter which the noble Lord should discuss with those who operate these local distribution networks. It has been represented to me very strongly.

My Lords, I am grateful for that. It is a very important matter which the noble Lord should discuss with those who operate these local distribution networks. It has been represented to me very strongly.

My Lords, I apologise for interrupting the noble Lord when we were hearing interesting facts about his own development, but there is one problem that one should perhaps note. One has, again, heard the argument that, if the cap is set too high, so that it takes in not just...

My Lords, I apologise for interrupting the noble Lord when we were hearing interesting facts about his own development, but there is one problem that one should perhaps note. One has, again, heard the argument that, if the cap is set too high, so that it takes in not just...

My Lords, I want to follow one or two of the points that have been made and say at once to my noble friend Lord Freeman, who is chairing the Select Committee, that it is a pity we are having this debate before we have his report. It would have...

My Lords, I want to follow one or two of the points that have been made and say at once to my noble friend Lord Freeman, who is chairing the Select Committee, that it is a pity we are having this debate before we have his report. It would have...