03 Jul 2002
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Anne McGuire has called on Scots to play a full part in a major government consultation on every aspect of energy policy.
Mrs McGuire made the plea on the day that she spoke at an Energy Consultation Workshop organised by the Institute of Energy, on behalf of the Scotland Office and the Department of Industry (DTI).
Opening the workshop in Glasgow today, Mrs McGuire urged Scottish organisations, including business, consumers, environmental groups, and the general public to play their full part in the consultation process.
Speaking to an invited audience of Scottish energy sector companies, environmental, regulatory and consumer bodies, Mrs McGuire said:
"The Government plans to issue a White Paper around the turn of the year setting out its approach to energy policy. Generations to come will be affected by the questions and decisions it will raise.
"It is vital that Scottish organisations, and the general public let us know their thoughts on how energy policy should develop to meet the needs of Scotland’s consumers, businesses and our environment.
"The main themes the White Paper will cover are security of supply, climate change, low carbon technologies, energy efficiency, transport and general framework issues of the energy market and environmental issues. The Energy White Paper must do justice to all the cross cutting issues and therefore we want to hear as many views as possible."
The Energy Policy Consultation paper was launched in May and contributions to the debate should be made to the DTI by 13 September 2002.
NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS
1. Anne McGuire was speaking at the Institute of Energy workshop in Glasgow.
2. The Government's energy consultation was started in May with the publication of the DTI consultation document "Energy Policy – Key Issues for Consultation". Today's workshop is aimed at facilitating this consultation. Workshops on the same theme were held last week in London and Cardiff.
3. The White Paper plans to set out the Government's approach to Energy Policy in response to a PIU report, plus the report produced by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution and other recent parliamentary reports.
4. Under the Scotland Act, regulation of the main energy sectors is reserved to the UK Parliament. This includes oil and gas, coal and nuclear energy and includes generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity.