§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps his Department is taking to ensure that adequate safety measures are enforced by private companies in the electricity industry after the phasing out of the inspector department in April.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerI have no intention of phasing out the Department's engineering inspectorate which has responsibility for enforcing the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988. These regulations are designed to secure the safety of the general public against risks associated with the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. The provisions of these regulations will apply to the privatised electricity supply industry.