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Utilities Bill

This is the text of the Utilities Bill, as amended in Committee in the House of Commons and printed on 11th April 2000.

 
  
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.Publication of advice and information about consumer matters.
7.Co-operation between Authority and Council.
8.Payments by licence holders relating to new arrangements.

CHAPTER II
OBJECTIVES OF REGULATION OF GAS AND ELECTRICITY
Gas
9.Objectives and duties under 1986 Act.
10.Guidance on social and environmental matters in relation to gas.
11.Health and safety in relation to gas.
12.Exceptions from the general duties under 1986 Act.

Electricity
13.Objectives and duties under 1989 Act.
14.Guidance on social and environmental matters in relation to electricity.
15.Health and safety in relation to electricity.
16.Exceptions from the general duties under 1989 Act.

CHAPTER III
FUNCTIONS OF THE GAS AND ELECTRICITY CONSUMER COUNCIL
17.Preliminary.
18.Acquisition and review of information.
19.Provision of advice and information to public authorities and other persons.
20.Provision of information to consumers.
21.Power to publish advice and information about consumer matters.
22.Complaints.
23.Investigations by the Council.
24.Provision of information to the Council.
25.Publication of notice of reasons.
26.Provision of information by the Council to the Authority.

CHAPTER IV
AMENDMENT OF THE ELECTRICITY ACT 1989
Electricity licensing
27.Prohibition on unlicensed distribution of electricity.
28.Exemptions from electricity licensing.
29.Licences authorising supply etc. of electricity.
30.Enactments referring to public electricity suppliers.
31.Electricity licence conditions.
32.Standard conditions of electricity licences.
33.Modification of conditions of particular licence.
34.Modification of standard conditions of licences.
35.Electricity licence modification references.
36.Reports on modification references.
37.Modification following report.
38.Modification by order under other enactments.
39.Transfer of electricity licences.
40.Reasons for decisions under the 1989 Act.
41.Altering activities requiring electricity licence.

Duties of electricity distributors
42.Duty to connect on request.
43.Abolition of tariffs.
44.Power to recover expenditure.
45.Power to require security.
46.Additional terms of connection.
47.Special agreements with respect to connection.
48.General duties of electricity distributors.

Electricity licence holders
49.The electricity code.
50.Electricity metering.
51.Powers of licence holders.

Electricity performance standards
52.Standards of performance in individual cases.
53.Overall standards of performance.
54.Standards of performance: procedures.
55.Information with respect to levels of performance.
56.Information to be given to customers.

Enforcement of obligations
57.Financial penalties.
58.Licence enforcement.

Remuneration and service standards
59.Links between directors' remuneration and electricity service standards.

Electricity from renewable sources
60.Obligation in connection with electricity from renewable sources.
61.Orders under section 32: supplementary.
62.Green certificates.
63.Alternative way of discharging renewables obligation: payments.
64.Modification and abolition of fossil fuel levy.
65.Supplementary.

Miscellaneous
66.Modification of licences: electricity trading arrangements.
67.Help for disadvantaged groups of electricity customers.
68.Energy efficiency requirements for electricity distributors and suppliers.
69.General duties of transmission licence holders in Scotland.
70.Uniform prices etc. in certain areas of Scotland.
71.Maximum prices for reselling electricity.

CHAPTER V
AMENDMENT OF THE GAS ACT 1986
Gas licensing
72.Gas licence conditions.
73.Exceptions from s. 5 of 1986 Act.
74.Gas transporters.
75.Restriction on use of certain pipe-lines for providing a supply of gas.
76.Construction of pipe-lines by gas transporters.
77.Duty to facilitate competition.
78.Gas transporters' duty to make a connection.
79.Standard conditions of gas licences.
80.Modification of standard conditions of gas licences.
81.The gas code.
82.Transfer of gas licences.
83.Exemptions from gas licensing.
84.Reasons for decisions under the 1986 Act.
85.Altering activities requiring gas licence.

Gas performance standards
86.Repeal of section 10(2) to (5) of the Gas Act 1995.
87.Standards of performance in individual cases.
88.Overall standards of performance.
89.Standards of performance: procedures.
90.Information with respect to levels of performance.
91.Information to be given to customers.

Enforcement of obligations
92.Financial penalties.
93.Licence enforcement.

Remuneration and service standards
94.Links between director's remuneration and gas service standards.

Miscellaneous
95.Help for disadvantaged groups of gas customers.
96.Energy efficiency requirements for gas transporters and suppliers.
97.Exercise of power to make regulations.
98.Standards of gas quality.
99.Maximum prices for reselling gas.

CHAPTER VI
SUPPLEMENTAL
100.Interpretation and extent of Part I.

PART II
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
New regulatory arrangements
101.The Telecommunications Authority.
102.Telecommunications Consumer Council.
103.Transfer to Authority and Council of functions, property etc.
104.Forward work programme and annual reports.
105.Payments by licence holders relating to new arrangements.

PART III
THE COMPETITION COMMISSION
Commission's functions under utilities legislation
106.Specialist members of the Competition Commission.
107.Gas licence conditions.
108.Electricity licence conditions.
109.Extent of Part III.

PART IV
MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTARY
Supplementary
110.Financial provisions.
111.Amendments, transitional provisions and savings and repeals.
112.Power to make transitional provision etc.
113.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-Schedule to be substituted for Schedule 6 to the 1989 Act.
    Schedule 5-Electricity metering.
    Schedule 6-Minor and consequential amendments.
    Part I-Telecommunications Act 1984.
    Part II-Gas Act 1986.
    Part III-Electricity Act 1989.
    Part IV-Other Acts.
    Schedule 7-Transitional provisions and savings.
    Part I-Electricity licensing.
    Part II-Other transitional provisions and savings.
    Schedule 8-Repeals.
 

 
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Prepared 12 April 2000