Clause 49
Energy Bill
4:15 pm
Martin Horwood (Shadow Minister (Environment), Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Cheltenham, Liberal Democrat)
I beg to move amendment No. 46, in clause 49, page 42, line 7, after ‘may’, insert
‘at any time and at least once every five years’.
The Minister has already acknowledged some of the difficulties facing funded decommissioning programmes. We have discussed the possible variability in the costs. Under the previous few clauses, we have discussed the necessity of modifications and how those are likely to take place. We have talked about the changing circumstances that might apply, which might even change the foundation on which some of the funded decommissioning programmes were established. They might change the whole nature of the companies with which the programmes had been established. Some might be facing liquidation or merger and there might be fundamental changes in the financial and commercial arrangements underpinning these arrangements.
We talked much earlier about the importance of establishing the whole fund for decommissioning and any risk premiums having been paid, before the operation of new power stations even begins, so it is very likely that the circumstances surrounding funded decommissioning programmes will change. I think that we all agree with the clause that it will be necessary to review regularly the funded decommissioning programmes, but all Governments tend to put off awkward considerations and awkward reviews if they possibly can.