HC Deb 30 October 2001 vol 373 cc586-7W
Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the members of the joint working group of her Department and Ofgem to monitor security of supply; and what its terms of reference are. [10236]

Ms Hewitt

The Working Group comprises officials from my Department, Ofgem and the Performance and Innovation Unit. It is chaired jointly by the Deputy Director General of Energy in my Department and the Technical Director of Ofgem. Representatives of Transco and the National Grid Company will be invited to attend meetings when appropriate. The remit of the Working Group isTo assess the available data relevant to security of supply, to identify the gaps in that data and develop appropriate indicators; To monitor at a strategic level, over a timescale of at least seven years ahead,

  1. (a) the availability of supplies of gas;
  2. (b) the availability of supplies of electricity and fuels used for electricity generation;
  3. (c) the adequacy of generating capacity; and
  4. (d) the adequacy of the UK's gas and electricity infrastructure;
To assess whether appropriate market-based mechanisms are bringing forward timely investment to address any weaknesses in the supply chain that are anticipated; To identify relevant policy issues and consider implications.