Amendments proposed to the Utilities Bill - continued	House of Commons
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Mr Nick Gibb
Mrs Eleanor Laing

176

Clause     20,     page     15,     line     36,     at end insert—

    '(2A) The Council shall take appropriate steps to ensure that any investigation under this section is conducted in an objective and impartial manner.'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

482

Clause     20,     page     16,     line     1,     leave out from 'Council' to end of line 11 and insert "is not required by this section—

'(a) to investigate a complaint until the complainant has taken such steps as appear to the Council to be reasonable for him to take for the purpose of giving the person against whom the complaint is made a reasonable opportunity to deal with the complaint;

(b) to investigate any matter to which subsection (3) applies until the Authority has had a reasonable opportunity to exercise any enforcement function in respect of that matter; and

(c) to investigate any matter constituting a dispute which has been referred to the Authority under any provision of this Act.'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

483

Clause     20,     page     16,     line     16,     leave out 'licence holder' and insert 'person against whom the complaint is made'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

484

Clause     20,     page     16,     line     23,     leave out 'licence holder' and insert 'person against whom the complaint is made'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

485

Clause     20,     page     16,     line     25,     leave out from 'exercise' to 'a' in line 26 and insert 'any power under the Utilities Act 2000 or this Act to publish or disclose'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

486

Clause     20,     page     16,     line     31,     leave out from 'than' to end of line 39 and insert 'one appearing to it to be frivolous or vexatious) appears to the Authority—

(a) to be about a matter which is or amounts to a complaint to which this section applies; and

(b) to have been made by or on behalf of the complainant,

    the Authority shall refer the complaint to the Council.

    (10) In this section—

"authorised", in relation to a supplier of electricity or other person, means authorised by a licence or exemption;

"enforcement function" means a function under section 25 or 27A; and

"regulated activities" means activities which are authorised or regulated by a licence or exemption.'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

251

Clause     20,     page     16,     line     40,     leave out '31' and insert '32'.

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Mrs Linda Gilroy

499

Clause     21,     page     16,     line     47,     at end insert—

    '(1A) The power to undertake an investigation under this section includes, without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), power to investigate any matter relating to or to anything connected with gas fittings (or their use) or the use of gas supplied by gas suppliers.

    (1B) In subsection (1A) "gas fittings" means gas fittings used or intended to be used by persons supplied with gas by gas suppliers.'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

487

Clause     21,     page     17,     leave out lines 1 to 3.

   

Mr Nick Gibb
Mrs Eleanor Laing

177

Clause     21,     page     17,     line     3,     at end insert—

    '(2A) The Council shall take appropriate steps, including the preparation and publication of guidance, to ensure that any investigation under this section is conducted in an objective and impartial manner.'.

   

Norman Baker
Mr Andrew Stunell

502

Clause     21,     page     17,     line     29,     leave out 'prejudicially affect' and insert 'substantially prejudice'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

488

Clause     21,     page     17,     line     34,     leave out 'person' and insert 'individual'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

489

Clause     21,     page     17,     line     38,     at end insert—

    'and paragraph (b) applies whether the opinion is given in relation to the information itself or to information of a description which applies to that information.'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

490

Clause     21,     page     17,     leave out lines 39 to 41.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

197

Clause     21,     page     17,     line     46,     leave out 'the supply of electricity' and insert 'electricity conveyed by distribution systems'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

491

Clause     21,     page     18,     leave out lines 1 to 3.

   

Mr Nick Gibb
Mrs Eleanor Laing

178

Clause     21,     page     18,     line     3,     at end insert—

    '(2A) The Council shall take appropriate steps, including the preparation and publication of guidance, to ensure that any investigation under this section is conducted in an objective and impartial manner.'.

   

Norman Baker
Mr Andrew Stunell

503

Clause     21,     page     18,     line     29,     leave out 'prejudicially affect' and insert 'substantially prejudice'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

492

Clause     21,     page     18,     line     34,     leave out 'person' and insert 'individual'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

493

Clause     21,     page     18,     line     38,     at end insert—

    'and paragraph (b) applies whether the opinion is given in relation to the information itself or to information of a description which applies to that information.'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

494

Clause     21,     page     18,     leave out lines 39 to 41.

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Mrs Helen Liddell

510

Clause     22,     page     18,     line     43,     leave out from 'information' to 'may' and insert 'as it'.

   

Mr Nick Gibb
Mrs Eleanor Laing

146

Clause     22,     page     18,     line     45,     after 'may', insert 'by notice in writing'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

511

Clause     22,     page     18,     line     45,     leave out from 'of' to first 'to' in line 46 and insert 'a gas licence or an electricity licence'.

   

Mr Nick Gibb
Mrs Eleanor Laing

147

Clause     22,     page     18,     line     47,     at end insert 'and any such notice shall specify—

(a)     the functions to which that information relates; and

(b)     the reasons for requiring its disclosure.'.

   

Mr Nick Gibb
Mrs Eleanor Laing
Mr Ian Bruce [R]
Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Christopher Fraser

508

Clause     22,     page     19,     line     7,     leave out 'desirability' and insert 'imperative'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

512

Clause     22,     page     19,     line     8,     leave out 'any'.

   

Mr Nick Gibb
Mrs Eleanor Laing

148

Clause     22,     page     19,     line     8,     at end insert—

    '(5A) The Authority or a licence holder shall not be required to comply with a notice under subsection (2) where—

(a) the information required does not exist substantially in the form requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost to the Authority or licence holder; or

(b) the information is of a description which the Authority or licence holder could not be compelled to produce, or give in evidence, in civil proceedings before the court.'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

513

Clause     22,     page     19,     line     13,     at end insert—

    '(6A) Where the Authority refuses to supply any information required under this section it shall, if so required by the Council, give notice to the Council of the reasons for its refusal.'

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

514

Clause     22,     page     19,     line     19,     leave out from 'whether' to first 'the' in line 20.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

515

Clause     22,     page     19,     line     24,     leave out from 'shall' to end of line 27 and insert 'give notice to the Council and the licence holder of the reasons for each determination under subsection (8).'

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Mrs Helen Liddell

516

Clause     23,     page     19,     line     32,     leave out '22(9)' and insert '22(6A) or (9)'.

   

Mr Nick Gibb
Mrs Eleanor Laing
Mr Ian Bruce [R]
Mr Christopher Chope
Mr Christopher Fraser

509

Clause     23,     page     19,     line     43,     leave out 'seriously and'.

   

Norman Baker
Mr Andrew Stunell

504

Clause     23,     page     19,     line     43,     leave out 'prejudicially affect' and insert 'substantially prejudice'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

517

Clause     23,     page     20,     line     1,     leave out 'disclose' and insert 'publish'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

518

Clause     23,     page     20,     line     3,     leave out 'person' and insert 'individual'.

   

Mrs Helen Liddell

519

Clause     23,     page     20,     line     6,     at end insert—

    'and paragraph (b) applies whether the opinion is given in relation to the information itself or to information of a description which applies to that information.'

Prepared 9 Mar 2000