My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lords who tabled amendments and spoke so eloquently to them this afternoon. Obviously, in this group we also have the Government’s own amendments, which share many aspects with the others.
The question of independent generators is crucial. As noble Lords have already said, this is an important sector and deserves to be treated with all due seriousness. The group of independent generators, which I am sure has been in contact with many noble Lords present, already represents 20% of the onshore wind capacity in the UK. According to Ofgem’s projections, independent generators are already responsible for 12% of renewable capacity and are expected to be responsible for between 35% and 50% going forward—something to which my noble friend Lord Hanworth alluded. This is not a small part of the market but a considerable part of it, and my noble friend Lady Liddell pointed to the reasons for this. The group represents the entrepreneurial energy developers in this country and it is that burgeoning sector that is providing jobs and investment for a green economy. I am not saying that the big six and other energy companies are not also participating but the entrepreneurs have shown great tenacity and appetite for engaging in a complicated market, but yet can succeed.
I should like to bring the Committee’s attention to the fact that last week economic statistics were produced that showed that the green sector in the UK grew in 2011-12 by 5% at a time when the rest of the economy was in a double-dip recession. The green sector is an important engine of growth for the country and we hope that that will continue.
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