(10 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberOrder. I think that we have got the point.
I remind the Secretary of State that it was the Conservative Government who privatised the electricity industry and, crucially, John Major who lifted the restriction and allowed that vertical integration. In an article in The Guardian on Monday, the Secretary of State wrote that the big six
“either supplied themselves or opted for over-the-counter deals, with no transparency”
and that vertical integration
“raised concerns about the wholesale market.”
Will he therefore answer the question that my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow North West (John Robertson) asked: does he agree with the policy of separating the generation and supply arms of those big businesses?
(11 years, 4 months ago)
Commons ChamberOn a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. Perhaps you could provide me with some guidance. The Minister is obviously choosing not to give way to those on the Opposition Front Bench, but is it appropriate or courteous for her to refuse to give way when she is referring to a point that I have raised in the debate?
That is not a point of order. It is in the hands of the Minister whether she wishes to give way or not.
I am listening carefully to the hon. Gentleman’s list. He will know that some elements of it are dealt with in later amendments, particularly the one about community energy, which would increase the threshold from 5 MW to 10 MW. Will he support that amendment if we divide on it?
We can bide our time on that until we get to that group of amendments.