Clause 93 - Competitive tenders for offshore transmission licences
Energy Bill [Lords]
4:00 pm
Mr Norman Baker (Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Lewes, Liberal Democrat)
I have some sympathy with the amendment. In particular, I want to ask the Minister about the reliance on competitive tenders, which, according to my reading, appear to be the only determining factor for handing out the licences. The Government have generally moved away from pure competitive tendering to a process of best value, which has been broadly welcomed. It does not just consider price, as other factors are taken into account.
Those factors include some of those referred to by the hon. Member for Vale of York, although she could have referred to the environmental intentions or methods of a particular licence applicant. She might also have referred to whether a particular individual or company has form, to use a colloquialism, that might be germane to the activity in question. Considering that we have all talked about the need to ensure, for example, that the navigation and marine environment is properly protected, I am reluctant for the process simply to be one of competitive tendering. Can the Minister assure us that my reading is wrong and that there is a process beyond the competitive tendering that will pick up the other issues?