Energy Policy

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 11:30 am on 26 October 2004.

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Photo of Alistair Darling Alistair Darling The Secretary of State for Scotland, The Secretary of State for Transport 11:30, 26 October 2004

As I have said before, it is important that generators in Scotland can sell electricity, not just in Scotland but throughout the United Kingdom. Typically, the hon. Gentleman conveniently overlooks the fact that the proposals will remove interconnector charges for exporting electricity to England, and the charges suggested by the national grid are substantially less than they are at present. I have told the hon. Gentleman before that it is important that we encourage electricity generation in Scotland. The offshore regime that he complained about last time has not been settled at all, and it is entirely characteristic that he should make overblown and unfounded claims about offshore electricity, instead of concentrating on what is in fact the case and what is good for Scottish generators.