HC Deb 04 July 1977 vol 934 cc873-4
16. Mr. Forman

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he now expects to announce the appointment of the members of the Energy Commission.

Mr. Bean

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Coatbridge and Airdrie (Mr. Dempsey) on 28th June. I shall make an announcement about the allocation of the seven non-producer seats on the Energy Commission as soon as possible.

Mr. Forman

In the light of that Written Answer and of the Government's comments in their response to the Flowers Report about the importance of adequate institutional arrangements to take account of the environmental side of energy developments, does the right hon. Gentleman feel that the environmental and conservationist elements are sufficiently represented on the Commission if they are outnumbered by at least two to one?

Mr. Benn

As the House recognised, it is a difficult matter. Everybody wanted to be on the Commission, and I therefore tried to reach a part-solution by making clear that the Commission documents would be made available so that no one would be at a disadvantage even if not on the Commission. Others will be able to come. There are a large number of interests. There are the industrial interests and consumer interests. I may not be able to satisfy the hon. Gentleman that all the interests about which he is concerned will be represented, but at least matters will be conducted openly and others will know what is happening and hence will be able to influence decisions before they are made.

Mr. Palmer

Will every legitimate technical interest be represented, including the technical staff in the electricity supply industry?

Mr. Benn

I take it that my hon. Friend is referring to the EPEA, of which he is a distinguished member, and he put his question in a very modest way. No doubt he would like to know whether he or his general secretary could be on the Commission. The problem is this. The trade union side—the TUC fuel and power committee—not itself wanting an enormous Commission, suggested that the trade unions should be represented by the six unions on the fuel and power committee which were also members of the General Council. I discussed this with my hon. Friend's general secretary and I believe that, although disappointed, he appreciates the problem. He will have the papers and will be able to go as and when necessary. I think that he understands the difficulty.

Mr. Tom King

Has the Secretary of State noticed the irony in his own speech last Tuesday when, while on the one hand boasting of the success of British offshore activity and the figures for oil production, on the other hand he announced the setting up of his Energy Commission and specifically excluded from the Commission any representation of the offshore operators which had been responsible for the successful development?

Mr. Benn

This is another case of someone who has a strong claim. On the other hand, as the hon. Gentleman knows, UKOOA has a place in the participation arrangements and each member company of UKOOA will have regular and ongoing deep consultations with the Department of Energy and myself about its own interests. I have signed, or am in process of signing, a consultation agreement with each of them.