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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the (a) Electricity, Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 and (b) Distribution Connection and Use of Service Agreement whereby only Distribution Network Operators, Energy Suppliers and meter operators can remove cut-out fuses in domestic properties.

No recent assessments have been made of the effectiveness of the Electricity, Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations. Regulation 24 requires the cut-out to be locked or sealed to prevent supply interference by unauthorised persons.

The Distribution Connection and Use of System Agreement is a multi-party contract between licensed electricity distributors, suppliers and generators in Great Britain concerned with the use of the electricity distribution system. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is not a party to this agreement. The industry regulator, Ofgem, is responsible for approving changes to this agreement.

Government and Ofgem have launched a review into the rules that govern our energy system to develop options for improving the codes and their governance. The Distribution Connection and Use of System Agreement is in the scope of this review.