§ Mr. Gerald HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce his decision in respect of the proposed acquisition of City Flyer Express Ltd. by British Airways; and if he will make a statement. [86869]
§ Dr. HowellsMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will publish the Competition Commission's report on British Airways' proposed acquisition of City Flyer Express Ltd. as soon as is practicable.
2Was parliamentary time permits. Consequently the earliest feasible date that new trading arrangements could be introduced is October 2000. The purpose of legislation would be to provide the powers to introduce conditions into electricity licences necessary for the implementation of the new electricity trading arrangements.
Offer's 1999–2000 budget for the Review of Electricity Trading Arrangements programme is £11.2 million. Preliminary estimates of annual costs to implement new electricity trading arrangements for each of the first five years are £10–£20 million for the central set-up, £60 million for participants' set-up, and £30 million for participants' operating costs. These implementation costs will be met by market participants. Against this, the Government's overall programme of electricity market reforms is expected to lead to a reduction in wholesale electricity prices of at least 10 per cent. over the medium term.