Clause 5
Energy Bill
1:15 pm
Malcolm Wicks (Minister of State (Energy), Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform; Croydon North, Labour)
It might be helpful if I briefly introduce the clause. It makes provision for the Secretary of State to grant a licence on such terms and conditions as he or she sees fit. For the most part, standard terms and conditions will be appropriate to all licences of a particular type. Others might be peculiar to the circumstances of a particular licence. The conditions will seek to ensure that appropriate environmental protections are in place, or they will provide for the licensee to submit information to the Department to enable it to perform its regulatory functions. For example, the conditions may place an obligation on the licensee to undertake the licence activities in a way that does not interfere with other uses of the sea or the sea bed. The licence may include a duty to consult and to maintain effective communication with fishing interests, or to refrain from activities that unjustifiably interfere with navigation or fishing interests. We will consult fully on the proposed standard terms and conditions and hope to start this consultation in the summer. When making regulations prescribing model clauses under clause 6, there will be an opportunity for interested parties to put forward their views before the regime comes into effect.