§ Sir Barney HayhoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects codes of practice to be published and complaints procedures to be established as required by the Electricity Act 1989; and what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the Director General of Electricity Supply has discharged his duties with respect to consumer protection arrangements envisaged in that Act.
§ Mr. WakehamI understand from the Office of Electricity Regulation that most of the regional electricity companies' codes of practice and procedures have now been approved by the Director General of Electricity Supply, and that the remainder should reach that stage shortly. I meet the director general regularly to discuss all aspects of the regulation of the electricity industry and am confident that he is discharging his duties effectively. Consumers will benefit directly from the challenging standards of performance on customer service set by the director general which come into force today. These important initiatives are a practical example of improvements in service to customers of the kind which are at the heart of the citizens' charter proposals.