§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if the staff to be employed at the main office of the electricity regulator will be drawn from seconded or transferred civil servants;
(2) if all the posts within the office of the regulator, including those which will serve the consumer organisation, will be offered to the staff of existing consumer councils;
(3) what action has been taken to identify or to secure offices or locations for officers within OFFER; and if options on leases have been taken up or offers made for the purchase of premises.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe Office of Electricity Regulation (OFFER), like the existing regulatory offices, will be a non-ministerial Government Department. Its staff will therefore be classed as civil servants. It is too early to say what proportion of these may be seconded or transferred from other Departments. The staff of the existing electricity consultative councils will be able to apply for posts in OFFER.
No final decisions have been taken on the locations of offices.