Formal Minutes
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House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee Formal Minutes Session 2008–09 The Committee Name The Energy and Climate Change Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Department of Energy and Climate Change and associated public bodies. Current membership Mr Elliot Morley MP (Labour, Scunthorpe) (Chairman) Mr David Anderson MP (Labour, Blaydon) Colin Challen MP (Labour, Morley and Rothwell) Nadine Dorries MP (Conservative, Mid Bedfordshire) Charles Hendry MP (Conservative, Wealden) Miss Julie Kirkbride MP (Conservative, Bromsgrove) Anne Main MP (Conservative, St Albans) Judy Mallaber MP (Labour, Amber Valley) John Robertson MP (Labour, Glasgow North West) Sir Robert Smith MP (Liberal Democrats, West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) Paddy Tipping MP (Labour, Sherwood) Dr Desmond Turner MP (Labour, Brighton Kemptown) Mr Mike Weir MP (Scottish National Party, Angus) Dr Alan Whitehead MP (Labour, Southampton Test) Powers The committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the Internet via www.parliament.uk. Publication The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet at www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/ecc.cfm. A list of Reports of the Committee in the present Parliament is at the back of this volume. Committee staff The current staff of the Committee are Tom Goldsmith (Clerk), Robert Cope (Second Clerk), Francene Graham (Senior Committee Assistant) Luisa Porritt (Committee Assistant) and Estelita Manalo, (Office Support Assistant) and Hannah Pearce (Media Officer). Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerks of the Energy and Climate Change Committee, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 2569; the Committee’s email address is [email protected] Proceedings of the Committee Wednesday 21 January 2009 Members present: Mr David Anderson Judy Mallaber Mr Elliot Morley Sir Robert Smith Charles Hendry Paddy Tipping Miss Julie Kirkbride Mr Mike Weir Anne Main Dr Alan Whitehead 1. Declaration of Interests Members declared their interests in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992 (see Appendix 1). 2. Chairmanship Mr Elliot Morley was called to the Chair. 3. Oral Evidence in public Ordered, That the public be admitted during the examination of witnesses unless the Committee orders otherwise. Ordered, That, unless the Committee order otherwise, uncorrected transcripts of oral evidence given to the Committee be published on the internet. 4. Permission to publish Written Evidence Ordered, That those who submit written evidence to the Committee have leave to publish it, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 135, except in cases of particular sensitivity, where the Clerk is authorised to refer the matter to the Committee for decision. 5. Future programme The Committee considered this matter. Resolved, That the Committee inquire into UK offshore oil and gas; the national grid; and the green economy and low carbon technologies. 4 Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from the Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change. Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from energy companies. 6. Overseas travel Resolved, That the Committee undertake a European visit before the Summer recess as part of its inquiry into the green economy and low carbon technologies, and that the Chairman seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the visit. [Adjourned till Wednesday 4 February at 9.00 a.m. Wednesday 4 February 2009 Members present: Mr Elliot Morley, in the Chair Mr David Anderson Paddy Tipping Colin Challen Dr Desmond Turner Anne Main Mr Mike Weir John Robertson Dr Alan Whitehead Sir Robert Smith 1. Future programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. UK Travel Resolved, That the Committee visit Aberdeen in March in connection with its inquiry into UK offshore oil and gas. 3. Overseas visit (European) The Committee considered this matter. 4. Travel in a representative capacity Resolved, That Dr Alan Whitehead have leave to visit Brussels in February to attend the Joint Parliamentary Meeting organised by the European Parliament and the Czech Republic Parliament in a representative capacity. [Adjourned till Wednesday 11 February at 9.00 a.m. Wednesday 11 February 2009 Members present: Mr Elliot Morley, in the Chair Mr David Anderson John Robertson Nadine Dorries Sir Robert Smith Charles Hendry Paddy Tipping Miss Julie Kirkbride Dr Desmond Turner Anne Main Mr Mike Weir Judy Mallaber Dr Alan Whitehead 1. Future programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Inquiry into energy prices in 2009 and future investment in electricity generating capacity Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to energy prices in 2009 and future investment in electricity generating capacity be reported to the House for publication on the internet: EC 1 E.ON UK EC 2 Scottish Power EC 3 Scottish and Southern Energy EC 4 RWEnpower Phil Bentley, Managing Director, British Gas, Martin Lawrence, Managing Director, Energy Sourcing and Customer Supply, EDF Energy, Jim Macdonald, Commercial Director, Retail, E.ON UK, Guy Johnson, Director of Regulation, RWEnpower, Ian Marchant, Chief Executive, Scottish and Southern Energy, and Nick Horler, Chief Executive, Scottish Power, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Wednesday 25 February at 9.00 a.m. 6 Wednesday 25 February 2009 Members present: Mr Elliot Morley, in the Chair Mr David Anderson John Robertson Colin Challen Sir Robert Smith Nadine Dorries Paddy Tipping Charles Hendry Dr Desmond Turner Miss Julie Kirkbride Mr Mike Weir Anne Main Dr Alan Whitehead Judy Mallaber 1. Future programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Travel in a representative capacity Resolved, That Charles Hendry have leave to visit St Petersburg in March 2009 to attend a conference on the Nord Stream project organised by the Russian Embassy in a representative capacity. 3. Inquiry into the work of the Department of Energy and Climate Change Rt Hon Edward Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ms Moira Wallace, Permanent Secretary, Mr Willy Rickett, Director General, Energy, and Mr Simon Virley, Head of Renewable Energy and Innovation Unit, Department of Energy and Climate Change, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Wednesday 4 March at 9.00 a.m. Wednesday 4 March 2009 Members present: Mr Elliot Morley, in the Chair Mr David Anderson John Robertson Colin Challen Sir Robert Smith Nadine Dorries Paddy Tipping Charles Hendry Dr Desmond Turner Miss Julie Kirkbride Mr Mike Weir Judy Mallaber Dr Alan Whitehead 1. Future programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Inquiry into the work of the Committee on Climate Change Lord Turner of Ecchinswell, Chairman, and Mr David Kennedy, Chief Executive, Committee on Climate Change, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Wednesday 11 March at 9.00 a.m. Wednesday 11 March 2009 Members present: Mr Elliot Morley, in the Chair Mr David Anderson John Robertson Colin Challen Sir Robert Smith Nadine Dorries Paddy Tipping Charles Hendry Dr Desmond Turner Miss Julie Kirkbride Mr Mike Weir Judy Mallaber Dr Alan Whitehead 1. Future programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Inquiry into UK offshore oil and gas Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to UK offshore oil and gas be reported to the House for publication on the internet: UKOG 1 BP UKOG 2 BG Group UKOG 3 RSPB UKOG 4 Professor Alexander Kemp UKOG 5 Oil & Gas UK UKOG 6 Shell UK UKOG 7 British Rig Owners’ Association UKOG 8 Joint Nature Conservation Committee 8 UKOG 9 Oil and Gas Independents’ Association UKOG 10 Carbon Capture and Storage Association UKOG 11 Total E&P UK Ltd UKOG 12 AMEC plc Steve Jenkins, Chairman, Alan Booth, Chief Executive Officer, Encore Oil, and Martyn Millwood Hargrave, Chief Executive Officer, Ikon Science; Martin Harper, Head of Sustainable Development, and Dr Sharon Thompson, Senior Marine Policy Officer, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Thursday 19 March at Town House, Aberdeen at 10.00 a.m. Thursday 19 March 2009 The Committee met at the Town House, Aberdeen Members present: Mr Elliot Morley, in the Chair Mr David Anderson Judy Mallaber Sir Robert Smith Mr Mike Weir 1. Inquiry into UK offshore oil and gas Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to UK offshore oil and gas be reported to the House for publication on the internet: UKOG 13 Centrica UKOG 14 ABB Ltd UKOG 15 Scottish Council for Development and Industry Professor Alexander Kemp, University of Aberdeen; Malcolm Webb, Chief Executive, and Paul Dymond, Operations Director, Oil and Gas UK, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Wednesday 26 March at 9.30 a.m. Wednesday 25 March 2009 Members present: Mr Elliot Morley, in the Chair Mr David Anderson Sir Robert Smith Colin Challen Paddy Tipping Charles Hendry Dr Desmond Turner Miss Julie Kirkbride Mr Mike Weir John Robertson Dr Alan Whitehead 1. Future programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Travel in a representative capacity Resolved, That three members of the Committee have leave to visit Copenhagen to attend the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in a representative capacity. 3. UK Travel Resolved, That the Committee