Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking with Ofgem to ensure investment decisions of the Distribution Network Operators are based on comprehensive and whole life cost benefit assessments.

Network regulation is a matter for the independent regulator, Ofgem. Under its RIIO price control framework, Ofgem’s cost benefit assessments take into account the whole life costs and impacts of Distribution Network Operator (DNO) investments. In addition, DNOs are funded and incentivised to maintain existing assets to ensure their longer-term resilience.