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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment she has made of the effect of Stornoway wind farm being unsuccessful in the third Contracts for Difference auction on the proposed interconnector to the Western Isles; and if she will make a statement.

Decisions to approve network infrastructure are a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator, in response to proposals brought forward by network companies. It is therefore for Ofgem to assess the case for a transmission link to the Western Isles. Ofgem consulted between 19^th March 2019 and 31^st May 2019 on its ‘minded-to’ decision on a Needs Case for the proposed link, which had been prepared by Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission. On 12^th September 2019, Ofgem published an update letter on its consideration, which can be found at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/update-letter-proposed-shetland-and-western-isles-electricity-transmission-projects. In this letter, Ofgem states that it expects to publish a final decision on the Needs Case in late Autumn 2019.