Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the success of the smart meter roll-out programme to date; and how many smart meters have been installed under that programme in (a) the UK, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Birmingham, Northfield constituency.

The Smart Metering Programme is making good progress. Consumers are already benefiting from smart meters, through accurate bills and helping them to understand their energy use to reduce consumption and save money.

Details of some key developments since December 2013 are set out in the Government’s ‘Third Annual Report on the Roll-out of Smart Meters’, published on 11 December 2014:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/third-annual-progress-report-on-the-roll-out-of-smart-meters.

In March 2015 DECC published research showing that consumers’ experience of the early rollout has been very positive: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smart-metering-early-learning-project-and-small-scale-behaviour-trials:

­ 82% of customers did not have any concerns about smart metering

­ 72% were satisfied with their smart meter and In Home Display overall. Only 4% were dissatisfied

­ 89% were satisfied with the installation process.

Details of the number of smart meters installed in Great Britain are set out in the Government’s ‘Smart Meters, Great Britain, Quarterly report to end September 2014’, published on 18 December 2014:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistical-release-and-data-smart-meters-great-britain-quarter-3-2014.

Over 1 million meters are operating under the Programme, which covers Great Britain. Northern Ireland is undertaking a separate roll-out programme.

Currently, data is published only at Great Britain level. Data is not collected from energy suppliers in a format that allows parliamentary constituency data to be produced.