§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds he will make available to help reduce energy costs in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [162669]
§ Mr. PearsonThe 2003 Budget included a proposal to remove some of the excess costs inherited from privatisation and reduce electricity bills for Northern Ireland businesses by some £30 million per year. I hope that the result of this will be an average decrease in electricity prices across the business sector of 10 per cent. below the levels they would otherwise have been, taking effect from later this year.
900WDepartment of Enterprise, Trade and Investment officials are continuing to work with The Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation and Northern Ireland Electricity on the development of this proposed intervention. They are also working with the Department of Trade and Industry on the need to secure EU State Aid approval.
In addition I am, as part of the new strategic energy framework for Northern Ireland, considering other means of addressing the high energy costs here, including actions that can be taken to improve energy efficiency.