Electricity

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on electricity. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
04.03.2013	Energy imports and exports
	After spending most of the previous 25 years as a net exporter of energy the UK became a net importer in 2004. The gap between imports and exports has increased since 2004 and this looks set to continue to increase in the future. This, alongside higher fuel prices and increased concern over the security of energy supply has increased the attention on energy imports and exports.
16.01.2013	Domestic gas and electricity prices: Social Indicators page
	Depiction of trends in the retail prices of gas and electricity since privatisation.
16.01.2013	Energy prices
	The price of domestic gas and electricity has generally increased over the past eight years after around a decade of falling prices. The cost of heating oil has increased by a larger amount. There have been some price cuts over the past few years, but these have been smaller than the price rises. So far this autumn five of the big six energy suppliers have increases gas and electricity prices by between 6% and 11%. Domestic prices have ratcheted up as higher operating, network and environmental costs and higher supplier margins have magnified the impact of longer term increases in wholesale costs. In the medium to long term the pressures on price all appear to be upwards and the only way for most consumers to reduce the impact of increased unit costs, and even to reduce their bills, is through energy efficiency improvements.
04.12.2012	Smart meters
	Between now and 2019 more than 50 million new 'smart meters' will be rolled out to 30 million homes and smaller businesses in Britain. These are intended to allow consumers to see and adjust in real time what energy they are using. The Public Accounts Committee considers the challenges associated with roll-out 'huge'.
23.11.2012	Simplifying Energy Tariffs
	The complexity of energy tariffs makes it hard for consumers to get the best deal. In October 2012 the Prime Minister announced legislation to require energy companies to offer customers their cheapest tariff. This will be done in the Energy Bill 2012, expected before the end of November. These moves augment consultations and work that the energy regulator Ofgem has been conducting for some time now.

Research Papers

Date	Description
13.12.2012	Energy Bill
	The Energy Bill [Bill 100 of 2012-13] seeks to implement 'electricity market reform' and through this achieve 'secure, clean and affordable' electricity supplies. The Bill was introduced to the Commons on 29 November 2012 and will have its Second Reading debate on 19 December 2012. A draft Bill was subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee.
06.09.2011	Energy Bill [HL]: Committee Stage Report
	This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Energy Bill. It complements Library Research Paper 11/36 (Energy Bill) prepared for the Commons Second Reading.
04.05.2011	Energy Bill [HL]
	This briefing on the Energy Bill has been prepared for the Second Reading Debate in the House of Commons. The flagship policy in the Bill is the 'Green Deal', a scheme whereby homes would be given finance upfront to make energy efficiency improvements, which would then be paid for by energy bill savings. The Bill would also set up a new obligation on energy companies to help certain groups of consumers with saving energy, who need extra support. The Bill also introduces a range of other measures designed to improve energy efficiency; such as facilitating the roll-out of smart meters, widening access to energy performance certificates and making information on energy bills clearer. The Bill also provides measures designed to help improve energy security, to encourage low carbon generation and to grant additional powers to the Coal Authority to charge for certain services.
17.02.2010	Energy Bill: Committee Stage Report
	This paper summarises the House of Commons Second Reading and Committee Stage proceedings of the Energy Bill. The Bill received its Second Reading on 7 December 2009. It was not amended in Committee. The Bill will introduce an incentive to support up to four carbon capture and storage (CSS) demonstration projects in the UK. CSS is a way of reducing the impact of fossil fuel emissions by capturing carbon dioxide. It will also introduce mandatory support to lower energy bills for the most vulnerable, increase the powers of the industry regulator, Ofgem, and give the Secretary of State the power to ban cross-subsidy between gas and electricity accounts.
03.12.2009	Energy Bill. Bill 7 2009-10.
	The Bill would introduce: a carbon capture and storage incentive to support the construction of up to four UK demonstration projects, to be chosen in a competition; mandatory social price support to lower energy bills (social tariffs) for the most vulnerable, which would replace the current voluntary agreement which expires in 2011. It would also add ensuring security of supply and protecting consumers to the objectives of the regulator, Ofgem; increase the regulator's powers to deal with exploitation of electricity distribution constraints by generators; and increase Ofgem's power to fine companies. It would give the Secretary of State the power to ban cross-subsidy between gas and electricity accounts.

Select Committee Reports

Date	Description
27.04.2011	Electricity market reform.
	Government response. Energy and Climate Change Select Committee; Department of Energy and Climate Change report [Commons]
10.02.2010	Future of Britain's electricity networks.
	Energy and Climate Change Select Committee report [Commons]
29.06.2009	The warm front scheme.
	Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
18.10.2011	LOSS LEADER PRODUCTS
	That this House notes that many dominant supermarkets and traditional non-electrical retailers offer electrical products below their cost price as loss leaders to lure customers into ...
10.10.2011	ELECTRICIANS' PAY DISPUTE
	That this House expresses its concern at the actions of a cartel of construction companies that are seeking to tear up the existing national pay agreement for skilled electricians, ...
12.09.2011	RENEWABLES OBLIGATION AND DRAX POWER STATION BIOMASS CO-FIRING FACILITY
	That this House notes that having invested in the largest biomass co-firing facility in the world, Drax Power Station is the single largest generator of renewable electricity in the ...
30.06.2011	ENERGY
	That the Draft Modifications to the Standard Conditions of Electricity Supply Licences, a copy of which was laid before this House on 9 June 2011, be not approved.
01.11.2010	CLOSURE OF TRENCH (UK) BY SIEMENS
	That this House notes with deep concern the actions by Siemens plc in planning to close the highly profitable longstanding British manufacturer Trench (UK) Ltd(formerly The Bushing ...

POST Papers

Date	Description
16.01.2013	Residential Heat Pumps
	Heat pumps capture ambient heat from the air or the ground and transfer it inside a building. They provide an efficient alternative to conventional methods of heating, such as boilers. This POSTnote summarises the use of heat pump technology for residential buildings and the constraints to their uptake in the UK.
23.01.2012	Measuring Energy Security
	This POSTnote explores ways in which energy security may be measured for monitoring purposes.
01.02.2011	Future electricity networks, February 2011
	This POSTnote examines the possibilities and challenges for electricity network development.
01.10.2010	Electric vehicles
	This POSTnote focuses on the extent to which EVs could reduce carbon emissions and examines issues that would surround widespread uptake.
01.01.2010	Lighting technology, January 2010
	This POSTnote gives an overview of energy efficient electric lighting currently available and under development. It examines policy initiatives to drive uptake, as well as relevant health, environmental, public perception and economic issues.
01.04.2008	Electricity storage, April 2008
	Electricity storage, April 2008. POSTnote 08/306.