Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire, Conservative)

I remind the Committee that with this we are discussing the following:

Amendment No. 38A, in

clause 1, page 1, line 5, at end add

', in particular by promoting energy efficiency in all sectors'.

Amendment No. 72, in

clause 1, page 1, line 5, at end add—

'(2) The Secretary of State's duty under this section shall be wholly delegated to GEMA save and except after—

(a) GEMA has made a report to the Secretary of State setting out its reasons for believing that it has insufficient powers to carry out this duty, and

(b) the expiry of one year's notice of intended reversion of the duty to the Secretary of State.'.

Amendment No. 73, in

clause 1, page 1, line 5, at end add—

'(2) Such a duty shall in particular require the Secretary of State to have regard to—

(a) provision of supply in a national emergency,

(b) estimates of the long-term requirements for energy at the point of use, and

(c) the reduction in energy use achievable through conservation and efficiency measures.'.

Amendment No. 74, in

clause 1, page 1, line 5, at end add—

'(2) In the exercise of this duty he shall have regard to the reports and recommendations of the Joint Energy Supply Security working group in respect of their responsibility for monitoring and assessing risks to security of supply.'.

Clause 1 stand part.

New clause 13—Security of supply report—

'The Secretary of State must in each calendar year, beginning with 2005, publish a report (''a security of supply report'') on the progress made in the reporting period towards maintaining and enhancing, if necessary, UK security of supply.'.

Mr Laurence Robertson (Shadow Minister, Economic Affairs; Tewkesbury, Conservative)

I begin this part of my remarks by saying what a pleasure it is to see you chairing this Committee, Mr. Sayeed. We look forward to working with you.

Before lunch, I was in the process of saying that we had had a good debate on the security of supply. It took all morning, but it was probably right to take so much time, because it is an important issue. In summing up, the Minister expressed sympathy for the clause that had been inserted by the Lords and, in particular, for my amendment No. 41. My understanding is that he promised to consider the amendment further. He said that he was not happy with all of it, but that there were parts that he would discuss with the Opposition immediately after the forthcoming recess, with a view to perhaps introducing something on Report. On the basis of those sympathetic remarks, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Clause 1 disagreed to.