HC Deb 24 June 2002 vol 387 cc669-70W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the mandate of the Committee on Experts on the Transit of Electricity through Grids is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [61709]

Ms Hewitt

I have been asked to reply.

The role of the committee is to mediate in disputes between network operators over conditions for the use of electricity transit lines, as set out in Article 3 of Council Directive 90/547/EEC of 29 October 1990 on the transit of electricity through transmission grids.

The committee has not met in the past 12 months. The UK representation is provided by the National Grid Group plc. There is no UK public funding of this committee. There are no items currently under consideration by the committee.

The Commission's current proposals for liberalising the European energy market would repeal Directive 90/547/EEC and so remove the legal base for this committee.

There are no plans to increase accountability and transparency as it is about to be dissolved.