Clause 92 - Extension of transmission licences offshore
Energy Bill [Lords]
4:00 pm
Mr Stephen Timms (Minister of State (e-Commerce & Competitiveness), Department of Trade and Industry; East Ham, Labour)
The clause enables the Secretary of State to modify the co-ordination licence so that the authorisation and conditions of the licence apply to the transmission of electricity within an area of the territorial sea or an area of the UK continental shelf, or both. Taken together, the amendments would mean that all the territorial sea and the continental shelf would have to be treated in the same way.
We may not need the flexibility that we built into the provision, but we are not certain that we do not. Until we have done more detailed work on the extension of the co-ordination licence offshore and carried out the consultation provided for under clause 92(5), I hope that the hon. Gentleman will agree that it would be sensible to retain the flexibility that is built into the drafting.