HL Deb 13 February 1989 vol 504 c59WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they believe that the question of who bears the cost of anti-pollution measures in the field of electricity generation should be left to the new Director General of Electricity Supply to determine.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy (Baroness Hooper)

The Government believe in the principle that the polluter should pay. This means that in the first instance the cost of anti-pollution measures is met by the generator, who will aim to recover the cost of such measures in his contracts for electricity supply. The initial contracts between the two successor companies to the CEGB and the distribution companies will need to be approved by the Government. Thereafter, all contracts for generation will be set in the market place.