Formal Minutes of the Energy and Climate Change Committee ... · Energy and Climate Change Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–11 5 2. The work of the Department of Energy and Climate

Energy and Climate Change Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–11 1

Formal Minutes of the Energy and Climate Change Committee 2010–11

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Members present:

Mr Tim Yeo, in the Chair1

Dan Byles Gemma Doyle Tom Greatrex Dr Philip Lee Albert Owen

Christopher PincherLaura Sandys Sir Robert Smith John Robertson Dr Alan Whitehead

1. Declaration of Interests

Members declared their interests in accordance with the resolution of the House of 13 July 1992 (see Appendix).

2. Committee working methods

The Committee considered this matter.

Ordered, That the public be admitted during the examination of witnesses unless the Committee orders otherwise.

Resolved, That witnesses who submit written evidence to the Committee are authorised to publish it on their own account in accordance with Standing Order No. 135, subject always to the discretion of the Chair or where the Committee orders otherwise.

Resolved, That the Committee approves the use of electronic equipment by Members during public and private meetings, provided that they are used in accordance with the rules and customs of the House.

3. Future programme


[Adjourned till Tuesday 20 July at 9.00 a.m.

1 Mr Tim Yeo was elected as the Chair of the Committee on 9 June 2010, in accordance with Standing Order No. 122B

(see House of Commons Votes and Proceedings, 10 June 2010).

2 Energy and Climate Change Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–11

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Members present:

Mr Tim Yeo, in the Chair


Christopher PincherLaura Sandys Sir Robert Smith John Robertson Dr Alan Whitehead

1. Future programme


Resolved, That the Committee inquire into UK Deepwater Drilling — Implications of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill.

Resolved, That the Committee inquire into Emissions Performance Standards.

Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun.

Resolved, That the Committee undertake a visit to Brussels on 16 November.

2. Petitions

The Committee considered the petition to the House from residents of Creswell and the surrounding areas in Staffordshire regarding the Blythe Park gas-fired power station proposal. The Committee also considered observations from the Secretary of State presented on 14 June 2010.

The Committee considered the petition to the House from Robert A Robinson regarding Communities in Mid Wales (Welshpool, Newtown, Guilsfield and Montgomery) and the effect of the transportation of materials for the building of wind farms in Mid Wales.

3. The electricity generating landscape in Great Britain


Ordered, That written evidence relating to the electricity generating landscape in Great Britain submitted by the National Audit Office be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

4. The proposals for draft national policy statements on energy


Ordered, That written evidence relating to the proposals for the draft national policy statements on energy submitted by the Sustainable Energy Partnership be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 7 September at 10.00 a.m.


Tuesday 7 September 2010

Members present:



Christopher PincherLaura Sandys Sir Robert Smith Dr Alan Whitehead

1. Future programme


Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence on the potential effect on energy use of extending British Summer Time.

Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from Ofgem.

Resolved, That the Committee request written evidence from the Department of Energy and Climate Change on radio spectrum for smart grid and smart meter communications.

2. United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun (COP 16)

Resolved, That the Chair have leave to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun (COP 16) in a representative capacity and that the Chair seek approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the visit.

3. Low carbon technologies in a green economy

Draft Special Report (Low carbon technologies in a green economy: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report of Session 2009–10), proposed by the Chair, brought up, read the first and second time, and agreed to.

The Government’s Response to the Fourth Report from the Committee in Session 2009–10 was appended to the Report.

Resolved, That the Report be the First Special Report of the Committee to the House.

Ordered, That the Chair make the report to the House.

4. Petitions

The Committee considered a petition to the House from concerned energy users in the Highlands and Islands regarding energy costs.

The Committee considered a petition to the House from Robert Robinson regarding wind farm development.

5. UK Deepwater Drilling — Implications of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill


Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to UK Deepwater Drilling — Implications of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill be reported to the House for publication on the internet:


UKD 1 Transocean UKD 2 Oil and Gas UK UKD 3 Oil Spill Prevention, Response and Advisory Group (OSPRAG)

Sir Robert Smith declared the following interests: Shareholder Shell Transport and Trading; vice-chair of the all-party group on the offshore oil and gas industry.

Paul King, Managing Director North Sea Division, Transocean, Malcolm Webb, Chief Executive, Oil and Gas UK, and Mark McAllister, Chair, Oil Spill Prevention Response and Advisory Group (OSPRAG), gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 15 September at 9.30 a.m.

Wednesday 15 September 2010

MORNING SITTING

Members present:




1. Future programme


2. UK Deepwater Drilling – Implications of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill



UKD 04 – BP plc UKD 05 – Institution of Mechanical Engineering UKD 06 – Joint Nature Conservation Committee UKD 08 – Total E&P UK Limited UKD 09 – Research Councils UK UKD 10 – KIMO UK UKD 11 – Chevron North Sea Limited UKD 13 – Dr Jonathan Wills UKD 14 – The British Rig Owners’ Association UKD 15 - ClientEarth UKD 16 – Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) UKD 16A - DECC – NAO information Annex A UKD 16B - DECC – Diagram Annex B UKD 16B – DECC – Annex B Key UKD 16C – DECC map UKD 16D – DECC Background note


2. The work of the Department of Energy and Climate Change


Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP, Secretary of State, Moira Wallace, Permanent Secretary, Phil Wynn Owen, Director General, National Climate Change and Consumer Support, and Jonathan Brearley, Director, Energy Markets and Infrastructure, Department of Energy and Climate Change, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till this day at 3.00 p.m.

Wednesday 15 September 2010

AFTERNOON SITTING

Members present:





The Committee considered this matter. Sir Robert Smith declared the following pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests: Shareholder Shell Transport and Trading; vice-chair of the all-party group on the offshore oil and gas industry. Gemma Doyle declared the following non-pecuniary interest: a family member was employed by BP. Dr Tony Hayward, Group Chief Executive, BP plc, Bernard Looney, Managing Director, BP North Sea, Mark Bly, Group Head of Safety and Operations, BP Plc, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 12 October at 10.00 a.m.


Tuesday 12 October 2010

Members present:


Dr Phillip Lee John Robertson

Sir Robert Smith

1. Future programme


Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from the Minister of State, Department Energy and Climate Change on the revised draft National Policy Statements on Energy.


Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to UK Deepwater Drilling – Implications of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

UKD 17 Chamber of Shipping UKD 18 Platform UKD 19 Greenpeace

3. Emissions Performance Standards

Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to Emissions Performance Standards be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

EPS 01 Department of Energy and Climate Change EPS 02 Professor Richard Macrory EPS 03 UK Coal plc EPS 04 E3G EPS 05 Confederation of UK Coal Producers EPS 06 Committee on Climate Change EPS 07 Institution of Mechanical Engineers EPS 08 National Grid EPS 09 Professor Jon Gibbins and Hannah Chalmers EPS 10 Scottish and Southern Energy EPS 11 Wood Panel Industries Federation EPS 12 Prospect EPS 13 UKCCSC and UKERC EPS 14 RWE npower EPS 15 Carbon Capture & Storage Association EPS 16 Eurelectric EPS 17 Statoil UK EPS 18 EDF Energy EPS 19 E.ON UK EPS 20 EEF EPS 21 Ofgem EPS 22 Centrica EPS 23 Drax Power Ltd EPS 24 WWF UK & Greenpeace UK EPS 25 Shell EPS 26 ScottishPower


EPS 27 Sussex Energy Group EPS 28 Confederation of British Industry EPS 29 Dr Rachel Western EPS 30 International Power plc EPS 31 Client Earth EPS 32 Association of Electricity Producers EPS 33 GE Energy EPS 34 Combined Heat and Power Association EPS 35 Green Alliance

The Chair declared the following interest: Chair of AFC Energy Plc.

Sir Robert Smith declared the following interest: Shareholder Shell Transport and Trading.

Lord Turner of Ecchinswell, Chair, and Dr David Kennedy, Chief Executive, Committee on Climate Change, and Professor Jon Gibbins, Edinburgh University, gave oral evidence. Nick Molho, Head of Energy Policy, WWF, Simon Skillings, Senior Associate, E3G, and Chris Littlecott, Senior Policy Advisor, Green Alliance, gave oral evidence.



Members present:


Dan Byles Tom Greatrex Dr Phillip Lee Albert Owen Christopher Pincher

John RobertsonLaura Sandys Sir Robert Smith Dr Alan Whitehead

1. Future programme


Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from Moira Wallace, Permanent Secretary, Department of Energy and Climate Change, on the Comprehensive Spending Review.

2. Fuel Poverty

Draft Special Report (Fuel Poverty: Government Response to the Committee’s Fifth Report of Session 2009-10), proposed by the Chair, brought up, read the first and second time, and agreed to.

The Government’s Response to the Fifth Report from the Committee of Session 2009–10 was appended to the Report.

Resolved, That the Report be the Second Special Report of the Committee to the House.

Ordered, That the Chair make the Report to the House.




UKD 20 Marine Conservation Society UKD 21 National Audit Office UKD 22 DONG Energy




Matthew Farrow, Head of Energy, Transport and Planning, CBI; Dr Jeff Chapman, Chief Executive, The Carbon Capture and Storage Association; and Dr John McElroy, Chairman, Environment Committee, Association of Electricity Producers, gave oral evidence. Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State, and Jonathan Brearley, Director, Energy Strategy and Futures, Department of Energy and Climate Change, gave oral evidence.



Members present:


Dan Byles Gemma Doyle Dr Phillip Lee Albert Owen


1. Future programme




3. The effect on energy usage of extending British Summer Time

Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to the effect on energy usage of extending British Summer Time be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

BST 1 Department of Energy and Climate Change, Department for Transport, and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Joint submission) BST 2 Dr Mayer Hillman


BST 3 National Grid BST 4 Lighter Later BST 5 Dr Michael Morrison


The Committee considered this matter. Sir Robert Smith declared the following pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests: Shareholder Shell Transport and Trading; vice-chair of the all-party group on the offshore oil and gas industry Mr Steve Walker, Head of Offshore Division, Health and Safety Executive, Mr Philip Naylor, Director of Maritime Services, UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Dr Jonathan Wills, Councillor on Shetland Islands, and Ms Susie Wilks, Client Earth, gave oral evidence. Mr Brent Cheshire, Managing Director, Dong Exploration and Production UK Ltd, Mr Richard Cohagan, Managing Director, Chevron UK Ltd, and Mr Roland Festor, Managing Director, Total E&P UK Ltd, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Thursday 28 October at 10.00 a.m.

Thursday 28 October 2010

Members present:


Dan Byles Albert Owen John Robertson

Christopher PincherLaura Sandys Sir Robert Smith

The effect on energy usage of extending British Summer Time


Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to the effect on energy usage of extending British Summer Time be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

BST 6 Harry Hayfield BST 7 Saga Dr Elizabeth Garnsey, University of Cambridge, Dr Simon Hill, University of Cambridge, and Alan Smart, Energy Operations Manager, National Grid, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 2 November at 10.00 a.m.


Tuesday 2 November 2010

Members present:


Dan Byles Dr Phillip Lee Christopher Pincher John Robertson

Laura SandysSir Robert Smith Dr Alan Whitehead

1. Future programme




Sir Robert Smith declared the following pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests: Shareholder Shell Transport and Trading; vice-chair of the all-party group on the offshore oil and gas industry

Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State, Simon Toole, Oil and Gas Director, and Jim Campbell, Energy Development Director, Department of Energy and Climate Change, and Hugh Shaw, Secretary of State’s Representative for Maritime Salvage, Department of Energy and Climate Change and Department for Transport, gave oral evidence.



Members present:

Dan Byles Barry Gardiner Ian Lavery Dr Phillip Lee Albert Owen


In the temporary absence of the Chair, Sir Robert Smith was called to the Chair for the meeting.

1. Declaration of interests

Barry Gardiner declared his interests, in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992, as follows:

Directorships Reynolds Partners Ltd, Grand Buildings 1-3 The Strand, London WC2N 5HE; investment bank. (£15,001–£20,000)

Received three payments totalling £2,500 between 23 March and 28 May 2010 for directors’ meetings and advice. Hours 15. Registered 23 June 2010)


Overseas visits Name of donor: GLOBE International Address of donor: 11 Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London SW1H 9BN. Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): £7,315.51 Destination of visit: Tokyo, Japan and Seoul, South Korea. Date of visit: 20-25 February 2010 Purpose of visit: meetings with the members of Diet and House of Councillors in Tokyo and members of the National Assembly in Seoul. (Registered 16 March 2010) Name of donor: GLOBE International Address of donor: 11 Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London SW1H 9BN. Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): £722.10 Destination of visit: Copenhagen, Denmark. Date of visit: 14-17 December 2009 Purpose of visit: to attend the G20 climate talks as a representative of GLOBE. (Registered 7 April 2010) Name of donor: GLOBE International Address of donor: 11 Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London SW1H 9BN. Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): £307 Destination of visit: Brussels, Belgium. Date of visit: 23 March 2010 Purpose of visit: meeting with new EU Climate Action Commissioner, Connie Hedegaard. (Registered 7 April 2010) Visits to China and Japan with GLOBE International in addition to overseas visits already registered Shareholdings (b) Reynolds Partners Ltd.

Ian Lavery declared his interests, in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992, as follows:

Membership of the GMB and the National Union of Mineworkers

2. Future programme



Monday 15 November — Tuesday 16 November

The Chair, Dan Byles, Barry Gardiner, Albert Owen and Sir Robert Smith visited Brussels, in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 20 July



Members present:


Barry Gardiner Ian Lavery Dr Phillip Lee Christopher Pincher


1. Future programme


Resolved, That the Chair have leave to attend GLOBE Mexico City Legislators Forum, in addition to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun, in a representative capacity, and that the Chair seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the visit.

Resolved, That the Committee visit the National Grid Control Centre in Wokingham.

Resolved, That the Committee inquire into Electricity Market Reform.

Resolved, That the Committee inquire into Shale Gas.

Resolved, That the Committee visit Washington and Pennsylvania in connection with its inquiry into Shale Gas, and that the Chair seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the visit.

Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from the Scientific Adviser at the Department of Energy and Climate Change

2. The future of Britain’s electricity networks

Draft Special Report (The future of Britain’s electricity networks: Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2009-10), proposed by the Chair, brought up, read the first and second time, and agreed to.

The Government’s Response to the Second Report from the Committee of Session 2009–10 was appended to the Report.

Resolved, That the Report be the Third Special Report of the Committee to the House.




4. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Board


Resolved, That in future the Committee should nominate one of its Members to sit on the Board of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 24 November at 3.00 p.m.


Wednesday 24 November 2010

Members present:



Christopher PincherJohn Robertson Laura Sandys Sir Robert Smith

1. Future programme



Draft Report (Emissions Performance Standards) proposed by the Chair, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the formal minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the First Report of the Committee, HC 523.

3. Comprehensive Spending Review

The Committee considered this matter. Sir Robert Smith declared the following interest: Shareholder Shell Transport and Trading.

Moira Wallace, Permanent Secretary, Phil Wynn Owen, Director General for National Climate Change and Consumer Support, Simon Virley, Director General for Energy Markets and Infrastructure, and Edmund Hosker, Director General for Corporate and Professional Services, Department of Energy and Climate Change, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till 30 November at 4.00 p.m.



Members present:


Dan Byles Barry Gardiner Albert Owen Christopher Pincher


1. Future programme


Resolved, That the Committee visit the GE Smart Grid Demonstration Centre in Bracknell.

2. DECC Winter Supplementary Estimate 2010–11

Ordered, That the written evidence relating to the DECC Winter Supplementary Estimate 2010–11 be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

3. Revised draft National Policy Statements on Energy


Resolved, That the Committee hold an additional oral evidence session in relation to the Revised National Policy Statements on Energy inquiry.

Resolved, That the Chair write to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to request that the Government waive the requirement under S.O. No. 152H (5) that the Committee report 39 days before the expiry of the relevant period on its scrutiny of the revised draft National Policy Statements on Energy.

Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to the Revised draft National Policy Statements on Energy be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

RNPS 1 Department of Energy and Climate Change RNPS 2 RSPB RNPS 3 Campaign to Protect Rural England RNPS 4 – Friends of the Earth RNPS 5 – Stop Hinkley



John Robertson declared the following interest: Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy.

Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State, Hergen Haye, Head of Nuclear New Build, and Anne Stuart, Head of Planning Reform, Department of Energy and Climate Change, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 7 December at 10.00 a.m.


Tuesday 7 December 2010

Members present:

Dan Byles Ian Lavery Dr Phillip Lee

Christopher PincherAlbert Owen Dr Alan Whitehead

In the temporary absence of the Chair, Dr Alan Whitehead was called to the Chair for the meeting.

1. Visit to Wokingham and Bracknell


2. Revised National Policy Statements on Energy


3. UK Deepwater Drilling


Resolved, That the Committee seek further written evidence from Transocean and the Health and Safety Executive.

4. The “Big Six” Energy Companies

Phil Bentley, Managing Director of British Gas, Centrica, Paul Spence, Director of Strategy and Regulation, EDF Energy, Paul Golby, Chief Executive Officer, E.ON UK, Guy Johnson, Director of Regulation and Public Affairs, RWE npower, and Alistair Philips-Davies, Energy Supply Director, Scottish and Southern Energy, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 14 December at 10.00 a.m.

Friday 3 December — Wednesday 8 December

The Chair visited Mexico City to attend the GLOBE City Legislators Forum, and Cancun to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference, in a representative capacity in accordance with the Committee’s decisions

of 7 September and 23 November.


Tuesday 14 December 2010

Members present:


Dan Byles Barry Gardiner Ian Lavery Dr Phillip Lee Christopher Pincher


1. Future programme


Resolved, That the Committee visit Poulton-le-Fylde and Preston in connection with its inquiry into Shale Gas.

2. The “Big Six” Energy Companies

Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to the Big Six Energy Companies be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

BSX 1 Centrica BSX 2 EDF Energy BSX 3 Scottish and Southern Energy


Sir Robert Smith declared the following interests: Shareholder Shell Transport and Trading; vice-chair of the all-party group on the offshore oil and gas industry; and attendance at the First International Offshore Oil and Gas Conference: The Future of Offshore Exploration and Development after Macondo in New Orleans 8-9th December. Travel accommodation and hospitality were provided by the organisers the Institute for Energy Law of the Centre for American and International Law, Plano, Texas.


Draft Report (UK Deepwater Drilling — Implications of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill) proposed by the Chair, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the formal minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Second Report of the Committee, HC 450.

4. Energy Bill [Lords]



Laura Sandys declared a non-pecuniary interest as patron of CPRE Kent. Barry Gardiner declared a non-pecuniary interest as a member of RSPB.


Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to the revised draft National Policy Statements on Energy be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

RNPS 6 Renewable UK

Simon Marsh, Head of Planning and Regional Policy, and Dr Ivan Scrase, Senior Climate Change (Renewable Energy) Policy Officer, RSPB, Dustin Benton, Senior Policy Officer, Campaign to Protect Rural England, and Simon Bullock, Senior Economy Campaigner, Friends of the Earth, gave oral evidence.

Keith Parker, Chief Executive, Nuclear Industry Association, Matt Thomson, Head of Policy & Practice, Royal Town Planning Institute, Jane Smith, Planning Adviser, UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy, Peter Atherton, Investment Advisor, Citibank, and Malcolm Chilton, Managing Director, Covanta Energy Limited, Renewable Energy Association, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 15 December at 3.00 p.m.

Wednesday 15 December 2010

Members present:


Barry Gardiner Ian Lavery Dr Phillip Lee Albert Owen Christopher Pincher




2. UN Climate Change Conference, Cancun



Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP, Secretary of State, Greg Barker MP, Minister of State, Pete Betts, Director, International Climate Change , and Harriet Thompson, Deputy Director, International Climate Change, Department of Energy and Climate Change, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 12 January 2011 at 3.00 p.m.


Wednesday 12 January 2011

Members present:



Christopher PincherJohn Robertson Laura Sandys Sir Robert Smith Dr Alan Whitehead

1. Electricity Market Reform


Ordered, The Professor David Newbery be appointed Specialist Adviser to assist the Committee in its inquiry into Electricity Market Reform.

Professor Newbery declared the following interests:

Research Director of the Electricity Policy Research Group (EPRG), University of Cambridge. EPRG is supported by industrial, Governmental and regulatory stakeholders through its Energy Policy Forum, to whom it makes periodic presentations and holds discussions at their companies and also at dinners it hosts in Cambridge. Its relationship with stakeholders is clearly based on offering independent and impartial advice and it respects the confidentiality of all concerned. Stakeholders include Alstom, Centrica, BP, National Grid, EdF, GdF Suez, E.On, BG Group, Statoil and Fortum, as well as Ofgem, DECC, and the ACCC. Adviser to Ofgem on TransmiT by writing an independent academic think piece setting out high-level principles for transmission pricing. A member of Ofgem’s Low Carbon Network Fund, although this only meets periodically and will not be allocating funds during the period of the Committee’s inquiry. Adviser to DECC and the Committee on Climate Change on electricity market reform.

Non-executive Director and Vice Chairman of CEPA, a consulting company that has worked for Ofgem and other regulators, and energy companies, not involved at present in any cases involving the UK energy market.

Ordered, The Dr Robert Gross be appointed Specialist Adviser to assist the Committee in its inquiry into Electricity Market Reform.

Dr Robert Gross declared no interests.



3. DECC Winter Supplementary Estimate 2010–11 and revised Departmental ambit


Resolved, That the Committee write to the Department of Energy and Climate Change to request further information on the subject of the Department’s Winter Supplementary Estimate 2010–11.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 18 January at 9.30 a.m.


Tuesday 18 January 2011

Members present:


Dan Byles Barry Gardiner Albert Owen Christopher Pincher



Draft Report (The revised draft National Policy Statements on Energy) proposed by the Chair, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the formal minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Third Report of the Committee, HC 648.

2. Department of Energy and Climate Change Main Estimate and revised Departmental ambit


Resolved, That the Committee write to the Department of Energy and Climate Change to request further information on the subject of the proposed changes to the format of the Department’s Main Estimate.

3. Future programme




Alistair Buchanan CBE, Chief Executive, and Andrew Wright, Senior Partner (Markets), Ofgem, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 25 January at 10.00 a.m.


Tuesday 25 January 2011

Members present:


Dan Byles Barry Gardiner Albert Owen

John RobertsonLaura Sandys Sir Robert Smith

1. Visit to Wokingham and Bracknell


2. Shale Gas


Resolved, That the Committee visit Dallas rather than Pennsylvania in connection with its inquiry into Shale Gas, and that the Chair seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the said visit.

Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to Shale Gas be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

SG 01 DECC SG 02 World Coal Association SG 03 British Geological survey SG 04 The Old Rectory SG 05 Department of Earth Science & Engineering SG 06 National Grid SG 07 IGas Energy SG 08 Cuadrilla Resouces Holdings Ltd SG 09 Campaign to Protect Rural England SG 10 Scottish & Southern Energy SG 11 Scotia Gas Networks SG 12 Tyndall Centre for Climate Change SG 13 Ofgem SG 14 Shell International Ltd SG 15 The Geological Society SG 16 Prof Stevens - Chatham House SG 17 CNG Services Ltd SG 18 The Co-operative Group SG 19 Dr Philip Mitchell SG 20 No Hot Air SG 21 Friends of the Earth



Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to Electricity Market Reform be reported to the House for publication on the internet:


EMR 33 GE Energy EMR 34 Centrica EMR 35 The IET EMR 36 SSE EMR 37 E3G



Professor Dieter Helm CBE, University of Oxford, gave oral evidence.

Simon Skillings, Senior Associate, E3G, Tim Tutton, Independent Adviser, Rachel Cary, Senior Policy Adviser, Green Alliance, Simon Less, Research Director (Environment & Energy), Policy Exchange, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 2 February at 9.30 a.m.

Wednesday 2 February 2011

Members present:


Dan Byles Barry Gardiner Ian Lavery Dr Phillip Lee

Christopher PincherSir Robert Smith Dr Alan Whitehead

1. Future programme


2. Ofgem

Ordered, That the written evidence relating to the performance of Ofgem submitted by the National Audit Office be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

3. Shale Gas


Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to Shale Gas be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

SG 22 WWF UK

4. Correspondence with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change



Resolved, That the Committee write to the Department of Energy and Climate Change with regard to its proposal to delay its post-legislative scrutiny Memorandum on the Climate Change Act 2008 until Spring 2015.



Ordered, That the following written evidence related to Electricity Market Reform be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

EMR 38 The Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics EMR 39 RSPB

Sir Robert Smith declared the following interest: Shareholder Shell Transport and Trading. Juliet Davenport, CEO, Good Energy, Darren Braham, Chief Financial Officer, first:utility, Dorothy Thompson, CEO, Drax Power, Dr Steve Riley, Executive Director, Europe, International Power, and Dr Gordon Edge, Director of Policy, RenewableUK, gave oral evidence.

Sarwjit Sambhi, Managing Director of Power Generation, Centrica Energy, John McElroy, Head of Policy & Public Affairs, RWE Npower, Sara Vaughan, Director of Regulation and Energy Policy, E.ON, Ian Marchant, CEO, Scottish and Southern Energy, John Campbell, Director of Energy Wholesale Business, ScottishPower, Vincent de Rivaz, CEO, EDF, and Paul Spence, Director of Strategy and Regulation, EDF, gave oral evidence

[Adjourned till Tuesday 8 February at 10.00 a.m.

Tuesday 8 February 2011

Members present:


Barry Gardiner Albert Owen

Laura SandysDr Alan Whitehead

1. Future Programme


Resolved, That the Committee inquire into UK Energy Supply: Security or Independence?

Resolved, That the Committee inquire into a European Supergrid.

2. Shale Gas


3. Petition

The Committee considered a petition to the House from Savile Burdett, of Axminster, Devon concerning Feed-in tariffs for photo voltaic generated energy in homes.





Chris Hunt, Riverstone, Peter Atherton, Head of European Utility Sector Research, Citigroup Global Markets, Shai Weiss, Partner, Virgin Green Money, Shaun Mays, Climate Change Capital, gave oral evidence.

Harry Huyton, RSPB, Doug Parr, Greenpeace, Nick Molho, WWF, Alan Simpson, Consultant to Friends of the Earth, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 9 February at 9.30 a.m.

Wednesday 9 February 2011

Members present:


Dan Byles Albert Owen Dr Phillip Lee

Christopher PincherDr Alan Whitehead

Shale Gas

The Committee considered this matter. Nigel Smith, Geologist, British Geological Survey, and Professor Richard Selley, Petroleum Geologist, Imperial College London, gave oral evidence. Jenny Banks, Energy and Climate Change Policy Officer, WWF, Professor Kevin Anderson, Tyndall Centre, University of Manchester, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 15 February at 10.00 a.m.


Tuesday 15 February 2011

Members present:


Ian Lavery Albert Owen

Laura SandysDr Alan Whitehead


Draft Special Report (Emissions Performance Standards: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2010-11), proposed by the Chair, brought up, read the first and second time and agreed to.

The Government’s Response to the First Report from the Committee was appended to the Report.

Resolved, That the Report be the Fourth Special Report of the Committee to the House.


2. DECC Spring Supplementary Estimate 2010–11


Ordered, That the written evidence relating to the DECC Spring Supplementary Estimate 2010–11 be reported to the House for publication on the internet.




EMR 40 Professor Michael Grubb

Joan MacNaughton, Senior Vice President, Power and Environmental Policies, Alstom Power, Christina Grumstrup Sorensen, Senior Vice President of Renewables, Dong Energy, Robert Cross, Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Natural Gas, Statoil, and Adrian Haworth, Director of Market Development, Europe, GE Energy, gave oral evidence. Mark Ripley, Regulatory Frameworks Manager, National Grid, Tony Glover, Head of Press and Public Affairs, Energy Networks Association, and Jeff Chapman, Chief Executive, Carbon Capture and Storage Association, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 1 March at 10.00 a.m.


Tuesday 1 March 2011

Members present:


Ian Lavery Albert Owen

Christopher PincherDr Alan Whitehead

1. Petition

The Committee considered a petition to the House from supporters of Penrith Action for Community Transition (PACT) in Penrith, Cumbria concerning the issuing of plastic carrier bags.

2. DECC Spring Supplementary Estimate 2010–11


Resolved, That the Committee write to the Department of Energy and Climate Change to request further information on the subject of the Department’s Spring Supplementary Estimate 2010–11.




EMR 1 Department of Energy and Climate Change

4. Future Programme


5. Shale Gas

The Committee considered this matter. Mark Miller, CEO, and Dennis Carlton, Executive Director, Cuadrilla Resources, and Andrew Austin, CEO, IGas Energy, gave oral evidence.

Nick Grealy, Publisher, No Hot Air, and Jonathan Craig, Fellow, Geological Society, gave oral evidence.


Sunday 6 March — Thursday 11 March

The Chair, Dr Phillip Lee, Albert Owen and Dr Alan Whitehead visited Dallas and Washington in accordance

with the Committee’s decisions of 23 November 2010 and 25 January 2011.



MORNING SITTING

Members present:


Dr Phillip Lee Albert Owen Christopher Pincher

Sir Robert SmithJohn Robertson Dr Alan Whitehead


Draft Special Report (UK Deepwater Drilling — Implications of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill: Government response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2010-11), proposed by the Chair, brought up, read the first and second time, and agreed to.

The Government’s response to the Second Report from the Committee, a response from Oil and Gas UK and from the Falkland Islands Government, were appended to the Report.

Resolved, That the Report be the Fifth Special Report of the Committee to the House.


Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Special Report be made available, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 134.




EMR 01a Department of Energy and Climate Change EMR 30a Low Carbon Group EMR 41 Alex Heeney EMR 42 Mainstream Renewable Power Sir Robert Smith declared the following interests: Shareholder Shell Transport and Trading and Vice-Chair of Energy Action Scotland. Lord Turner of Ecchinswell, Chair, Dr David Kennedy, Chief Executive, Committee on Climate Change, and Duncan Sinclair, Director, Redpoint Energy, gave oral evidence.

Rhian Kelly, Director for Business Environment, CBI, and Audrey Gallagher, Head of Energy, Richard Hall, Principal Policy Advocate, Consumer Focus, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till this day at 2.15 p.m.



AFTERNOON SITTING

Members present:


Barry Gardiner Ian Lavery Dr Phillip Lee Albert Owen


Electricity Market Reform

The Committee considered this matter. Sir Robert Smith declared the following interests: Shareholder Shell Transport and Trading and Vice-Chair of Energy Action Scotland. John Robertson declared the following interest: Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy. Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State, Simon Virley, Director General Energy Markets and Infrastructure, Department of Energy and Climate Change, and Mike Williams, Director Business and Indirect Tax, HM Treasury, gave oral evidence.



APPENDIX

DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS

13 July 2010: declaration of Members’ interests Dan Byles declared the following interests: Directorships Athena Communications & Consulting Ltd (not traded since before December 2009) Sponsorships Name of donor: Mr Charles H Vero Amount of donation: £4,000 Name of donor: Stalbury Trustees – 31 Hill Street, London, W1J 5LS Amount of donation: £3,000 Land and property Own half of one bedroom flat in which my grandparents reside in Bexhill on Sea, East Sussex Shareholdings Athena Communications & Consulting Ltd(100% of shares in this company) Employment of family members Jan Meek (Mother) – Interim Office Manager on 3 month fixed term contract Gemma Doyle declared the following interests: Miscellaneous and unremunerated interests: Brother an employee of BP Tom Greatrex declared the following interests: Sponsorships Name of donor: GMB Trade Union (Scotland) – Fountain House, 1/3 Woodside Crescent, Charing Cross, Glasgow, G3 7US Amount of donation: £2,500. This donation was made to the Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency Labour Party.


Dr Philip Lee declared the following interests: Remunerated employment, office, profession, etc GP Work: List of Freelance Employment May 2010 19th May-Medical Solutions Ltd., Wokingham, Berkshire Telephone Doctor Triage 3.5-4hrs 24th May - Holyport Surgery, Holyport, Berkshire GP Surgery 3.5 hrs 28th May - The Cedars Surgery, Maidenhead, Berkshire GP Surgery 3.5 hrs 4. Sponsorships Name of donor: John Nike OBE Amount of donation: £5,000 Albert Owen declared no interests. Christopher Pincher declared the following interests: Sponsorship Name of donor: Geoffrey Mansfield Amount of donation: £4,000 Name of donor: Reginald Gordon Goodwin Amount of donation: £2,549 Name of donor: JCB Research Ltd – Lakeside Works, Denstone Road, Rocester, Staffordshire, ST14 5JP Amount of donation: £5,000


John Robertson declared the following interests: Sponsorship Name of donor: Prospect Amount of donation: £7,000 (February 2010) Name of donor: Prospect Amount of donation: £5,000 (13 April 2010) Name of donor: Musician’s Union Amount of donation: £1,000 (6 April 2010) Name of donor: Unison (Scotland) Amount of donation: £300 (17 April 2010) The salary of a research assistant for one day a week to work with the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Nigeria and Angola is paid by Chatham House. Overseas visits Name of donor: Nominet Address of donor: Minerva House, Edmund Halley Road, Oxford Science Park, Oxford OX4 4DQ. Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): flights, accommodation, ground travel and incidental expenses to the value of £1,190. Destination of visit: Washington, DC, USA. Date of visit: 24-27 January 2010. Purpose of visit: to attend the Congressional Internet Caucus State of the Net conference as a representative of, the All-Party Communications Group, as well as a number of relevant meetings with US officials. (Registered 5 March 2010) Employment of family members Laura Robertson (Daughter) – Assistant Secretary (Office Junior) Miscellaneous and unremunerated interests: Chair All-Party Group on Nuclear Energy


Laura Sandys declared the following interests: Directorships China Dialogue, NGO based in London and China. Sponsorships Name of donor: Ian Thomas Address of donor: private Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £3,500. This donation was made to the constituency association, which will report it to the Electoral Commission. Donor status: individual (Registered 7 June 2010) Name of donor: Sunley Farms Ltd Address of donor: Godmersham Park. Canterbury CT4 7DT. Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,750. This donation was made to the constituency association, which will report it to the Electoral Commission. Donor status: company (Registered 7 June 2010) Name of donor: Michael Faber Address of donor: private Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £1,750. This donation was made to the constituency association, which will report it to the Electoral Commission. Donor status: individual (Registered 7 June 2010) Name of donor: United and Cecil Club Address of donor: 36 Station Road, Uxbridge, UB8 3AD. Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £4,000. No individual donations of more than £1,500. This donation was made to the constituency association. which will report it to the Electoral Commission. Donor status: Conservative fundraising club (Registered 7 June 20 I0) Name of donor: David Hunter Address of donor: private Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,800. This donation was made to the constituency association, which will report it to the Electoral Commission. Donor status: individual (Registered 7 June 2010)


Miscellaneous and unremunerated interests: Trustee of the Russia Foundation Sir Robert Smith declared the following interests: Overseas visits Name of donor: Total E&P UK Address of donor: 33 Cavendish Square, London WIG OPW Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): £1,077 Destination of visit: Lacq, southwest France Date of visit: 16-17 July 2009 Purpose of visit: to visit Total's Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) demonstration plant in Lacq as a member of the British Offshore Oil and Gas Industry All Party Parliamentary Group. Land and Property Farm and cottages in Aberdeenshire, from which rental income is received. Shareholdings Glaxosmithkline; pharmaceuticals (9 b) Legal and General; life assurance (9 b) Rio Tinto; mineral extraction (9 b) Shell Transport and Trading; oil-integrated (9 b) Miscellaneous and unremunerated interests: Honorary Vice-President Energy Action Scotland Vice-Chair All –Party Group on the British Oil and Gas Industry


Dr Alan Whitehead declared the following interests: Sponsorship Name of donor: Unite Amount of donation: £2,500 Land and Property Flat inhabited by Father in Devon. Miscellaneous and unremunerated interests: Chair Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group (PRASEG) Mr Tim Yeo declared the following interests: Directorships Name and address of company: Groupe Eurotunnel SA (non-executive) (of which Eurotunnel plc is a wholly owned subsidiary); company managing the Channel Tunnel. Address: Cheriton Parc, Cheriton High Street, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 4QS. Nature of business: Company manages the Channel Tunnel and operates freight trains in Britain and France. My duties as a non-executive director include attendance at meetings of the Board and of the Environment and Safety Committee and advising senior management on a range of issues. Name and address of company: Eco City Vehicles plc, Hemming House, Hemming Street, London E1 5BL Nature of business: Distributes and services London taxis The nature of the work: Duties include chairing board meetings and keeping in touch with senior management. Name and address of company: AFC Energy plc, Unit 71.4, Dunsfold Park, Stovolds Hill, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8TB Nature of business: Developers of alkaline fuel cell technology The nature of the work: Undertake duties as Chair, run board meetings and keep in touch with senior management.


Remunerated employment, office, profession, etc Name and address: Regenesis Ltd, Coptoak House, 216 Blackbury Lane, Limply, Stoke, Bath, BA2 7FE Nature of the business: The company develops, manufacturers and markets advanced technologies for the restoration and remediation of natural resources. Occasional articles for Country Life magazine. Member of Advisory Board of Oxinia (August 2008-September 2009); a group of recruitment consultants and head-hunters. Overseas visits Name of donor: Forum Invest, a Romanian company which organises international conferences. Address of donor: 18 Mircea Eliade Blvd, 4th floor, Bucharest 012015, Romania Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): £1500 Destination of visit: Monte Carlo Date of visit: 3-6 July 2009 Purpose of visit: to discuss climate change and the environment (Registered 6 July 2009) Name of donor : National Institute of Technology Address of donor: Kurukshetra - 136119, Haryana, India Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): estimated value £1500 Destination of visit: Taj Chandigarh, Chandigarh, India Date of visit: 19-21 March 2009 Purpose of visit: to speak at the EnviroEnergy Conference 2009 (international conference on energy and environment) (Registered 17 September 2009) Name of donor: Forum Invest, a Romanian company which organises international conferences. Address of donor : 18 Mirtea Eliade Blvd, 4th floor, Bucharest 012015, Romania Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): £1200 Destination of visit: Bucharest Date of visit: 2 - 6 October 2009 Purpose of visit: to discuss Romania' s attitude to climate change and related environmental Issues (Registered 20 October 2009)


Shareholdings Anacol Holdings Ltd.; a family investment company (9 a) Name of company: Eco City Vehicles plc (9 b) Nature of company’s business: Distributes and services London taxis Name of company: AFC Energy (share option) (9 b) Nature of company’s business: Develops alkaline fuel cell technology Name of company: Groupe Eurotunnel SA (9 b) Nature of the company’s business: operates the Channel Tunnel and freight trains in Britain and France. 9 November 2010: declaration of Members’ interests Barry Gardiner declared the following interests: Directorships Reynolds Partners Ltd, Grand Buildings 1-3 The Strand, London WC2N 5HE; investment bank. (£15,001–£20,000)

Received three payments totalling £2,500 between 23 March and 28 May 2010 for directors’ meetings and advice. Hours 15. Registered 23 June 2010)

Overseas visits Name of donor: GLOBE International Address of donor: 11 Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London SW1H 9BN. Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): £7,315.51 Destination of visit: Tokyo, Japan and Seoul, South Korea. Date of visit: 20-25 February 2010 Purpose of visit: meetings with the members of Diet and House of Councillors in Tokyo and members of the National Assembly in Seoul. (Registered 16 March 2010) Name of donor: GLOBE International Address of donor: 11 Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London SW1H 9BN. Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): £722.10 Destination of visit: Copenhagen, Denmark. Date of visit: 14-17 December 2009


Purpose of visit: to attend the G20 climate talks as a representative of GLOBE. (Registered 7 April 2010) Name of donor: GLOBE International Address of donor: 11 Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London SW1H 9BN. Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): £307 Destination of visit: Brussels, Belgium. Date of visit: 23 March 2010 Purpose of visit: meeting with new EU Climate Action Commissioner, Connie Hedegaard. (Registered 7 April 2010) Visits to China and Japan with GLOBE International in addition to overseas visits already registered Shareholdings (b) Reynolds Partners Ltd. Ian Lavery declared the following interests: Membership of the GMB and the National Union of Mineworkers 12 January 2011: declaration of Specialist Advisers’ interests Professor David Newbery: Research Director of the Electricity Policy Research Group (EPRG), University of Cambridge. EPRG is supported by industrial, Governmental and regulatory stakeholders through its Energy Policy Forum, to whom it makes periodic presentations and holds discussions at their companies and also at dinners it hosts in Cambridge. Its relationship with stakeholders is clearly based on offering independent and impartial advice and it respects the confidentiality of all concerned. Stakeholders include Alstom, Centrica, BP, National Grid, EdF, GdF Suez, E.On, BG Group, Statoil and Fortum, as well as Ofgem, DECC, and the ACCC. Adviser to Ofgem on TransmiT by writing an independent academic think piece setting out high-level principles for transmission pricing. A member of Ofgem’s Low Carbon Network Fund, although this only meets periodically and will not be allocating funds during the period of the Committee’s inquiry. Adviser to DECC and the Committee on Climate Change on electricity market reform. Non-executive Director and Vice Chairman of CEPA, a consulting company that has worked for Ofgem and other regulators, and energy companies, not involved at present in any cases involving the UK energy market.


Dr Rob Gross: Nil.

Documents

Formal Minutes of the Energy and Climate Change Committee ... · Energy and Climate Change Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–11 5 2. The work of the Department of Energy and Climate