Energy: Gas

Baroness Worthington Excerpts

Tuesday 29th May 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Marland]

Storage is important, but one has to remember that we have 16 days of storage and planning permission for a 20% increase on that. Storage is therefore increasing, but the fundamental fact is that 150% of the nation’s supply of LNG is capable of being delivered and processed very quickly. So I do not think that storage is the be all and end all, particularly as we have three dedicated pipelines—one from the Netherlands, one from Norway and one from our own supply—which give us about 80% plus of our supply. I am therefore not as hung up on storage as the noble Lord might expect me to be.

[Baroness Worthington]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his comments. I am sorry if I caused him to lose his way; perhaps I shall try an easier question. Although gas as well as electricity is used for heating, the excuse given in the electricity market reform Bill for the Government focusing just on electricity is that there will be a greater uptake of electrical heating. What are they doing to promote the uptake of electrical heating and will they regulate to prevent the installation of gas into new buildings?

[Lord Marland]

That is a much easier question, I must admit, although it is not one to which I have a ready answer—I might refer to the Leader again. Gosh, is that the time? I really have now lost my way, again. We are encouraging all forms of heat into homes. It will be price driven and consumer demand driven, and it is fundamentally important that the consumer has the best possible pricing and the cheapest possible electricity and heating, so the Government are doing everything they can to ensure that.