Energy Bill

I think that the hon. Gentleman's reading is right; new clause 3, which is in the group of amendments that we are considering, and which I hope that the Government will accept, provides that the regulations on smart meters must include a provision allowing a smart meter to be a friend in the cupboard, or on the mantelpiece, that facilitates switching for the consumer. The hon. Gentleman might have heard a lengthy advocacy of that exact principle in Committee, and I am delighted to hear that point reflected back in today's debate; I welcome that. Along with others who have spoken, we very much welcome the Government's new clause 8. As the numbering of the new clauses suggests, we had already tabled new clause 1, which tries to do very much the same thing as new clause 8. We are not too worried about the finer points of the drafting differences between the two. As new clause 8 has the Minister's imprimatur, we are happy to defer to him, and not to pursue new clause 1, with one reservation: as the amendment paper shows, when we tabled new clause 1, we included a time scale. That point has already been touched on. The five-year time scale referred to in Government new clause 8 means that there will be five years before the starting whistle is blown, and before things might start to happen. The idea that the clock is ticking is important in the context of climate change. If we are shortly to have binding targets for reaching our 2020 and 2050 climate change goals, another year or two, or five, matters. It is the lack of urgency that disturbs us. Let me read a statement of the Government's policy:"““Following our consultation on billing and metering, the Government intends to roll forward a package of measures in Great Britain which will change the way in which energy use is communicated to customers.””" One might assume that that came out this week, but in fact it was said a year ago in the energy White Paper of May 2007. The consultation on billing and metering referred to is the previous consultation, and not the most recent consultation or the next consultation. We feel that a line has to be drawn. I accept that the Government have a trial under way, and there is an argument for saying that we should let the trial finish. However, the statement of May 2007 was written when the trial had barely begun, so it is hard to argue that we need extra time for the trial to run when, over a year ago, before the Government had any clues about how the trial was going, they were already giving undertakings. The Minister cannot have it both ways. As the hon. Member for Wealden (Charles Hendry) said, the document that was circulated today—we appreciate the help given by the Minister's office in that regard—says that, in summary, the Government's plan, in response to the consultation, is"““to complete further economic assessment work and consultation to finalise policy position””." One wonders what the Government are waiting for. What do they think that they will find out after another six or nine months of dithering that they could not find out in the previous 12 months of dithering? What is the delay? The conclusion of the response to the consultation says:"““Given the complexity of the issues and the number of variables involved, the Government wishes to discuss further…We have therefore published…a consultation impact assessment””—" that is a new one to me—"““on a roll out…and invite comments””." I wonder whether there will be a Government response to the consultation impact assessment, which was the Government's response to the consultation, which followed another consultation. Perhaps then there will be a period of public engagement, reflection and consideration. Can we not just get on with it? I have been trying to work out why the Government do not want to get on with it, and whether the Minister has caught the ditheritis that comes from the top of Government. I looked back to our deliberations in Committee on 11 March, which was the last time that I challenged the Minister to get on with it. He intervened on me to ask, apropos of smart meters,"““Does he not recognise that by rushing the process””—" rushing? Chance would be a fine thing—"““there is a danger that we could to install the wrong technology””?––[Official Report, Energy Public Bill Committee, 11 March 2008; c. 581.]" I do not know whether the Minister has ever bought a computer; I sense that he may never have done so. There is always a danger of buying the wrong technology, and that something better will come round the corner. Surely there are plenty of examples of working technology out there. It is not staggeringly new. We have a rough idea of how it would all work. The fact that the Government have had a trial of smart meters going for well over a year suggests that it is not cutting edge, alien technology. It is in use in other countries as well, so the technology is not—