§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the meeting of the Energy Council of the European Community Ministers on 30 October.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe council made progress towards adoption of a new programme for demonstration and dissemination of new energy technologies known as Thermie. However the European Parliament has not yet given its opinion on it and the Commission has not formally put forward an overall budget for the programme.
The Council held a first discussion about four proposals from the Commission intended as steps towards establishing a single energy market and covering transparency of gas and electricity prices, right of transit on electricity networks and for gas networks and notification of investment projects. In the light of comments from member states the proposals have been remitted to officials for detailed examination. The proposals also await consideration by the European Parliament.