HC Deb 06 April 1989 vol 150 cc447-8
Mr. Michael Spicer

I beg to move amendment No. 3, in page 4, line 14, leave out 'of high voltage lines and electrical plant' and insert 'which consists (wholly or mainly) of high voltage lines and electrical plant and is'.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

With this it will be convenient to consider the following amendments:

No. 137, in page 4, line 15, after 'for', insert 'the pumped-storage of electricity or'.

Government amendment No. 4.

No. 127, in clause 8, page 7, line 10, after 'transmission', insert 'and generation by pumped storage.'.

Government amendments Nos. 8, 51, 52, 64 and 67.

Mr. Spicer

The Government consider that the amendments are technical or drafting, with the exception of amendments Nos. 51 and 52, which meet one of the matters discussed in Committee. I believe that the hon. Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley) raised in Committee the fact that the director general would be under a duty, if these amendments were brought forward, to publish information on performance standards at least once a year. We said that we would look at that matter and we have tabled the amendments in response to that debate.

We cannot accept Opposition amendments Nos. 137 and 127 because we do not see their point. The amendments aim to define pump storage as part of transmission. Transmission and generation, which pump storage is, are different things. Although, of course, pump storage is concerned with system stability, it is not the same as transmission. There is nothing to stop the transmission companies using pump storage in any way they wish, nor, indeed, to stop other pump storage stations coming forward, if they are economic, and are to be treated as generating companies. We may hear some concern to which I have not alluded, but we do not want to confuse, as do the Opposition amendments, transmission with generation. We would oppose amendments Nos. 127 and 137 if they were pressed, although I cannot see why they would be.

Mr. Morgan

I simply wish clearly to establish whether the National Grid Company will have a transmission licence. If not, how will it operate Dinorwig?

Mr. Spicer

Dinorwig will operate on the basis of generation licences. The National Grid Company will call up Dinorwig in precisely the same way as it calls up any other station. Therefore, there is no problem. It is part of its operations, but there is no problem about the licensing of future companies.

Amendment agreed to.

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