Clause 1 - Sustainable energy policy
Sustainable Energy Bill
12:00 pm
Mr Brian Wilson (Minister of State (Industry and Energy), Department of Trade and Industry; Cunninghame North, Labour)
I am delighted that the Bill is before the Committee today. I hope that by the time we have completed our deliberations my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes, North-East (Brian White), who has promoted the Bill impeccably, will have worthwhile legislation in his name. I hope that the spirit of cross-party consensus that has applied thus far can be maintained through all the stages of the Bill's consideration.
The core of clause 1 is a requirement for the Government to report annually on sustainable energy policy. We are perfectly happy to take on that commitment, which is consistent with our objectives for energy policy. Indeed, it is a commitment that we have already made in the energy White Paper in which we undertook to report annually on the progress being made towards the aims set out in that paper. In making such a report a statutory duty, however, we believe that it is vital not to be too prescriptive. For instance, a moment's consideration would show that it is not appropriate to set in statute current targets that may well be superseded, or aspirations for which detailed policies need to be developed, costed and implemented over time.