§ Lembit ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to bring forward legislation to allow for a low-cost borrowing mechanism in the Northern Ireland energy industry. [116823]
§ Mr. PearsonI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on the 4 March 2003. (97894)
I am currently awaiting a report and recommendations from a working group, involving my officials and economists from the Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation, which I set up to examine practical options for reducing energy costs in Northern Ireland. I will also wish to hear the views of the Authority, particularly in the light of their latest consultation paper, "Competition and Customer Empowerment—The Next Steps in the Northern Ireland Electricity Market".
I have made clear my commitment to reducing energy costs for consumers and business in Northern Ireland in the context of the Department's consultation paper "Towards a New Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland" published on 17 April 2003.
PQ 1000/03 Northern Ireland Departments—Energy Consumption (kWh)—1997–2000 Department 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 3-year total DANI 10,983,386 11,526,184 12,231,997 34,741,567 DENI 643,353,807 612,434,387 582,684,752 1,838,472,946 DED 6,353,084 6,709,184 6,924,027 19,986,295 DFP 1— 1— 2,289,207 2,289,207 DHSS 759,388,330 784,182,266 756,347,671 2,299,918,267