Utilities Bill

House of Commons portcullis

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
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Other Bills before Parliament

Utilities Bill

This is the text of the Utilities Bill, as presented to the House of Commons on 20th January 2000.

EXPLANATORY NOTES
Explanatory Notes to the Bill, prepared by the Department of Trade and Industry, is published separately as Bill 49- EN.

EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Mr Secretary Byers has made the following statement under section 19(1)(a) of the Human Rights Act 1998:

In my view the provisions of the Utilities Bill are compatible with the Convention rights.

Utilities Bill

ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES

PART I

GAS AND ELECTRICITY

CHAPTER I

NEW REGULATORY ARRANGEMENTS

Clause

1. Gas and Electricity Markets Authority.

2. Gas and Electricity Consumer Council.

3. Transfer to Authority and Council of functions, property etc.

4. Forward work programmes.

5. Annual and other reports of the Authority.

6. Co-operation between Authority and Council.

7. Payments by licence holders relating to new arrangements.

CHAPTER II

OBJECTIVES OF REGULATION OF GAS AND ELECTRICITY

Gas

8. Objectives and duties under 1986 Act.

9. Guidance on social and environmental matters in relation to gas.

10. Health and safety in relation to gas.

11. Exceptions from the general duties under 1986 Act.

Electricity

12. Objectives and duties under 1989 Act.

13. Guidance on social and environmental matters in relation to electricity.

14. Health and safety in relation to electricity.

15. Exceptions from the general duties under 1989 Act.

CHAPTER III

FUNCTIONS OF THE GAS AND ELECTRICITY CONSUMER COUNCIL

16. Acquisition and review of information.

17. Provision of advice and information to public authorities and other persons.

18. Provision of information to consumers.

19. Power to publish advice and information about consumer matters.

20. Complaints.

21. Investigations by the Council.

22. Provision of information to the Council.

23. Publication of notice of reasons.

24. Provision of information by the Council to the Authority.

CHAPTER IV

AMENDMENT OF THE ELECTRICITY ACT 1989

Electricity licensing

25. Prohibition on unlicensed distribution of electricity.

26. Exemptions from electricity licensing.

27. Licences authorising supply etc. of electricity.

28. Enactments referring to public electricity suppliers.

29. Electricity licence conditions.

30. Standard conditions of electricity licences.

31. Modification of conditions of particular licence.

32. Modification of standard conditions of licences by Authority.

33. Transfer of electricity licences.

34. Reasons for decisions under the 1989 Act.

35. Altering activities requiring electricity licence.

Duties of electricity distributors

36. Duty to connect on request.

37. Power to recover expenditure.

38. Power to require security.

39. Additional terms of connection.

40. General duties of electricity distributors.

41. Powers of licence holders.

Electricity performance standards

42. Standards of performance in individual cases.

43. Overall standards of performance.

44. Standards of performance: procedures.

45. Information with respect to levels of performance.

46. Information to be given to customers.

Enforcement of obligations

47. Financial penalties.

48. Licence enforcement.

Remuneration and service standards

49. Links between directors' remuneration and electricity service standards.

Electricity from renewable sources

50. Obligation in connection with electricity from renewable sources.

51. Orders under section 32: supplementary.

52. Green certificates.

53. Alternative way of discharging renewables obligation: payments.

54. Modification and abolition of fossil fuel levy.

55. Transitional and saving provisions.

Miscellaneous

56. Modification of licences: electricity trading arrangements.

57. Help for disadvantaged groups of electricity customers.

58. Energy efficiency requirements for electricity distributors and suppliers.

59. General duties of transmission licence holders in Scotland.

60. Uniform prices etc. in certain areas of Scotland.

61. Maximum prices for reselling electricity.

CHAPTER V

AMENDMENT OF THE GAS ACT 1986

Gas licensing

62. Gas licence conditions.

63. Exceptions from s. 5 of 1986 Act.

64. Gas transporters.

65. Transfer of gas licences.

66. Exemptions from gas licensing.

67. Reasons for decisions under the 1986 Act.

68. Altering activities requiring gas licence.

Gas performance standards

69. Repeal of section 10(2) to (5) of the Gas Act 1995.

70. Standards of performance in individual cases.

71. Overall standards of performance.

72. Standards of performance: procedures.

73. Information with respect to levels of performance.

74. Information to be given to customers.

Enforcement of obligations

75. Financial penalties.

76. Licence enforcement.

Remuneration and service standards

77. Links between director's remuneration and gas service standards.

Miscellaneous

78. Help for disadvantaged groups of gas customers.

79. Energy efficiency requirements for gas transporters and suppliers.

80. Exercise of power to make regulations.

81. Standards of gas quality.

82. Maximum prices for reselling gas.

CHAPTER VI

SUPPLEMENTAL

83. Interpretation and extent of Part I.

PART II

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

New regulatory arrangements

84. The Telecommunications Authority.

85. Telecommunications Consumer Council

86. Transfer to Authority and Council of functions, property etc.

87. Forward work programme and annual reports.

88. Payments by licence holders relating to new arrangements.

Objectives of regulation of telecommunications

89. Objectives and duties under 1984 Act.

90. Guidance to Authority on social and environmental matters.

91. Exceptions from the general duties under the 1984 Act.

Functions of the Council

92. General functions of the Council.

93. Provision of information.

94. Investigations by Council.

95. Provision of statistical information to consumers etc.

96. Consumer complaints.

Enforcement of obligations

97. Financial penalties.

98. Licence enforcement.

Remuneration and service standards

99. Links between directors' pay and service standards.

Miscellaneous

100. Reasons for Authority's decisions under the 1984 Act.

101. Standards of performance by designated operators: procedures.

102. Systemless service providers.

103. Interpretation and extent of Part II.

PART III

WATER

New regulatory arrangements

104. Water Advisory Panel.

105. The Consumer Council for Water.

106. Transfer to Council of property etc of Director.

107. Conditions relating to costs of water regulation.

108. Forward work programme and annual reports.

Objectives of regulation of water industry

109. Objectives and duties under 1991 Act.

110. Guidance to Director on social and environmental matters.

111. Standards of performance in relation to water supply.

112. Standards of performance in relation to sewerage services.

Functions of the Council

113. General functions of the Council.

114. Provision of information to the Council.

115. Provision of statistical information to consumers etc.

116. Consumer complaints.

117. Investigations by the Council.

Enforcement of obligations

118. Financial penalties.

119. Enforcement of conditions of appointments.

Remuneration and service standards

120. Links between directors' pay and service standards.

Miscellaneous

121. Reasons for decisions under the 1991 Act.

122. Functions of the National Assembly for Wales.

123. Interpretation and extent of Part III.

PART IV

THE COMPETITION COMMISSION

Commission's functions under utilities legislation

124. Specialist members of the Competition Commission.

125. Determination references under s. 12 of the Water Industry Act 1991.

Modification by Commission of licences following reports

126. Telecommunications licence conditions.

127. Gas licence conditions.

128. Electricity licence conditions.

129. Conditions of appointments under Water Industry Act 1991.

130. Extent of Part IV.

PART V

MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTARY

Supplementary

131. Financial provisions.

132. Minor and consequential amendments and repeals.

133. Power to make transitional provision etc.

134. Short title and commencement.

SCHEDULES:

    Schedule 1 - The Gas and Electricity Markets Authority.

    Schedule 2 - The Gas and Electricity Consumer Council.

    Schedule 3 - Further provision about transfers of functions, property etc..

    Schedule 4 - Water Advisory Panel and Consumer Council for Water.

    Part I - Schedule 1A to be inserted in the Water Industry Act 1991.

    Part II - Schedule 3A to be inserted in the Water Industry Act 1991.

    Schedule 5 - Minor and consequential amendments.

    Part I - Telecommunications Act 1984.

    Part II - Gas Act 1986.

    Part III - Electricity Act 1989.

    Part IV - Water Industry Act 1991.

    Part V - Other Acts.

    Schedule 6 - Transitional provisions and savings.

    Part I - Electricity licensing.

    Part II - Other transitional provisions and savings.

    Schedule 7 - Repeals.

© Parliamentary copyright 2000
Prepared 21 January 2000