Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2023 to Question 201507 on Electricity: Standing Charges, how OFGEM differentiate the costs of distribution to another region from the costs to consumers within a region.

There are different costs for the high-voltage transmission network (between regions) and local low-voltage distribution networks.

The only cost within the standing charge that varies by region relates to a component of the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) costs, reflecting the different costs of each local network and the number of consumers connected to it.

Outside the standing charge, transmission network costs feature a price signal (price per unit) which reflects the costs of connection between different regions.

Scotland is a net exporter of electricity, so consumers incur lower transmission charges than most of their counterparts in England and Wales.