I hope that the scrutiny that the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has offered will help to address a number of those issues. I know that there is concern about the differences between the scheme in GB and the scheme in Northern Ireland. I am not using a visual aid here, but I can assure Members that we have a copy of the document that is on the Department for the Economy website. It is available for download, and we would be happy to send a link to all Members here today, to ensure that they have an opportunity to see the very detailed information, tables and calculations, which I am sure they will absorb and enjoy.
To resume, delay of the legislative measures, such as the amendment would achieve, would serve only to put at risk payments to all the participants in the scheme. For there to be a lawful basis for the RHI scheme come 1 April, the legislative process and Royal Assent need to be completed by 31 March. The current tariffs are designed to pay the maximum 12% rate of return to a typical participant, so there is no lawful way to introduce higher tariffs to the scheme. A delay would not change that fundamental issue.
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I support the principle of the amendment of my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire, but the lasting solution to the issues that he and others have raised is that these matters are best addressed and scrutinised by a restored Executive in Northern Ireland. In the absence of a functioning Assembly, it is vital that we provide the statutory footing needed to allow the scheme to continue to ensure that boiler owners continue to receive payments from 1 April.
To go back to the comments made by my hon. Friend, I hope that the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, or another Committee of this House will now spend time looking at the issue. As the Secretary of State, I will consider carefully any recommendations made with regard to it, in particular any on helping those in hardship. We all agree that no one wants people who entered the scheme in good faith, and because they believed they were doing the right thing, to face financial hardship. We want to ensure that they have the reassurance that they need that everything we could do has been done.
On the basis of that position, and of my commitment to work with the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and to look carefully at his recommendations, I hope that he will not move his amendment.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 2 accordingly ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clauses 3 to 7 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Schedule agreed to.
The Deputy Speaker resumed the Chair.
Bill reported, without amendment.
Third Reading
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