Member

I hope the responses I have given provide the necessary assurances to approve the statutory instrument before the Grand Committee today. As I said at the start of the debate, the regulations the Government are seeking to amend through this instrument will revise the operational cost levies of the LCCC and the ESC—and that is all they will do. These companies play a crucial role in delivering the CfD, the RAB, the capacity market and other schemes. The Government anticipate that the LCCC may also play a similar role in administering new schemes in the future, including a potential new scheme supporting bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. So they have to be in good shape and sufficiently funded to perform these tasks effectively, but the costs of doing so must be kept to a minimum. It is my view that the operational budget for 2026-27 to 2028-29 strikes an appropriate balance between ensuring that the companies are adequately funded and ensuring that consumer bills are minimised. I commend the regulations to the Grand Committee.