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Vol. 748 Thursday No. 54 17 October 2013 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) HOUSE OF LORDS OFFICIAL REPORT ORDER OF BUSINESS Introductions: Lord Carrington of Fulham and Lord Leigh of Hurley ....................641 Questions Energy: Winter Supply..................................................................................................641 Elections: 16 and 17 Year-olds....................................................................................643 Energy: Long-term Supply ...........................................................................................646 Golden Rice...................................................................................................................648 Al-Madinah Free School Statement........................................................................................................................650 Business of the House Timing of Debates.........................................................................................................653 European Union Committee Membership Motion .......................................................................................................654 Select Committees Membership Motion .......................................................................................................654 Drugs Motion to Take Note....................................................................................................654 Commonwealth Motion to Take Note....................................................................................................693 Public Service and Demographic Change Motion to Take Note....................................................................................................735 Written Statements......................................................................................................WS 77 Written Answers ...........................................................................................................WA 87 £4·00 Lords wishing to be supplied with these Daily Reports should give notice to this effect to the Printed Paper Office. 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The first time a Member speaks to a new piece of parliamentary business, the following abbreviations are used to show their party affiliation: Abbreviation Party/Group CB Cross Bench Con Conservative Con Ind Conservative Independent DUP Democratic Unionist Party GP Green Party Ind Lab Independent Labour Ind LD Independent Liberal Democrat Lab Labour Lab Ind Labour Independent LD Liberal Democrat LD Ind Liberal Democrat Independent Non-afl Non-affiliated PC Plaid Cymru UKIP UK Independence Party UUP Ulster Unionist Party No party affiliation is given for Members serving the House in a formal capacity, the Lords spiritual, Members on leave of absence or Members who are otherwise disqualified from sitting in the House. © Parliamentary Copyright House of Lords 2013, this publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 641 Introductions[17 OCTOBER 2013] Energy: Winter Supply 642 Baroness Verma: My Lords, my noble friend is right House of Lords to raise this important question, but I hope that he will Thursday, 17 October 2013. be reassured to know that we still have a large percentage of our gas provided from the North Sea. We have 11 am greatly increased our import infrastructure over the past few years, so have a good diversity of supply Prayers—read by the Lord Bishop of Leicester. sources and gas storage to meet our demands comfortably. For both gas and electricity, National Grid is confident Introduction: Lord Carrington of Fulham that it has the right mix of tools to ensure that energy requirements are met reliably and safely without having 11.08 am to resort to contingency measures. Matthew Hadrian Marshall Carrington, Esquire, having Viscount Hanworth (Lab): The Minister is bound to been created Baron Carrington of Fulham, of Fulham acknowledge that since the Government came to power in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, there has been an unprecedented hiatus in investment was introduced and took the oath, supported by Lord in the energy industry. This must be due in large Trefgarne and Lord Patten, and signed an undertaking measure to the mixed messages that the Government to abide by the Code of Conduct. have given in regard to their energy policy. She is also surely aware that, among the big six energy companies, Introduction: Lord Leigh of Hurley those that have reaped the largest profits have had the worst investment records. What measures, beyond those 11.14 am contained in the Energy Bill, are the Government taking to encourage investment in the power industry? Harold Darryl Leigh, Esquire, having been created Baron Leigh of Hurley, of Hurley in the County of Baroness Verma: My Lords, I remind the noble Berkshire, was introduced and took the oath, supported Viscount that under this Government, since 2010, by Lord Feldman of Elstree and Lord Fink, and signed £35 billion-worth of investment in the energy sector an undertaking to abide by the Code of Conduct. has come forward and there has been a 56% increase in the renewables sector. It is a fallacy to say that there Energy: Winter Supply is a hiatus when we are a very open and welcome Question country for investment. However, if we were to go by the plans that the noble Viscount’s party is trying to 11.18 am project, that investment would be driven away. Asked by Lord Ezra Lord Lawson of Blaby (Con): My Lords, I welcome To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they the noble Lord, Lord Ezra, to his place. I recall well consider there will be adequate energy supplies to his being the chairman of the Coal Board when I was meet the demand if next winter is as cold as the last Energy Secretary. My noble friend the Minister referred one. to the Energy Bill but it has nothing to do with his Question. The Bill will do its damage in the future The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, when it implements the targets of the Miliband Climate Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Change Act but there is a crisis in this coming winter, Verma) (Con): My Lords, we expect the energy market which is a result of the large combustion plant directive. to deliver over the winter of 2013-14 as it has always That European directive requires us to close prematurely done. We have a range of options in place to meet any coal-fired power stations. Will she give an assurance tightening of margins. National Grid has existing that if it is a question of either implementing the system-balancing tools to respond to any short-term directive straight away and the lights going out or demand or supply fluctuation, and it is consulting saving the lights from going out, the Government will with Ofgem on extending the existing tools to manage choose the latter course and not implement the directive? any predicted risks mid-decade in electricity. For the medium to long term, in the Energy Bill currently Baroness Verma: My Lords, I am always grateful going through your Lordships’ House we are ensuring for my noble friend’s very helpful questions and I that we get the levels of investment needed to deliver reassure him that the Energy Bill is relevant to the secure energy supplies through a diverse mix of energy Question because it brings forward all the measures sources. we need for long-term security in energy at a competitive price. I think that I have already answered the Question: Lord Ezra (LD): My Lords, could my noble friend we have enough energy there and we have the measures kindly elaborate on her reply? In the case of gas, in place to be able to respond to any short-term bearing in mind that we are now importing more than fluctuations, so I hope my noble friend will be reassured 50% of our requirements and that storage is limited, is that his lights and our lights will stay on. she satisfied that we will have enough to meet peak winter demand? In the case of electricity, bearing in Lord O’Neill of Clackmannan (Lab): My Lords, mind that it is estimated that reserve capacity could be does the Minister agree that the Energy Bill is still as low as 5%, instead of 15% or above as normal, is deficient in one respect at least—carbon targets? Were she equally satisfied that we will be able to meet peak carbon targets to be included in the Bill, it would be a winter