§ The Minister for Energy, E-Commerce and Postal Services (Mr. Stephen Timms)On 17 December 2002,Official Report, column 45WS, the then Minister for Energy and Construction, my right hon. Friend the Member for Cunninghame, North made a statement to Parliament saying that Ministers were minded to accept the recommendation of the GB system operator selection panel that National Grid Company's application for the role of GB system operator should be accepted. Licensing of the GB system operator could not take place until the Energy Bill had received Royal Assent. The necessary legislation is now in place and I have confirmed the appointment of the National Grid Company as the GB system operator under the British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements (BETTA), with effect from 1 September 2004.