The Energy Bill set out in the Queens Speech intends to implement commitments laid down in the Energy White Paper to help reach the Government’s renewable energy goals, maintain the reliability of our energy supply and promote competitive energy markets.

Forum Response: Institute of Directors

Geraint Day, environmental policy analyst at the Institute of Directors, told ePolitix.com: "Security of supply should certainly be a key component of the Energy Bill. The emphasis on renewable sources of energy needs to be tempered by pragmatism in this respect. Sound research and development are needed, backed up by economic considerations as to what will be feasible from a range of sources, at the same time as maintaining the nation's energy supplies. The Queen's Speech also announced many measures around what it calls the "Nuclear Legacy". However, as the Energy White Paper implied, decisions about the future of nuclear power need to be taken at some stage, and it should not simply be assumed that it has no future in the UK."

Forum Response: Energy Networks Association

Tony Glover, public affairs manager at the Energy Networks Association, said: "Transmission and Distribution companies generally welcome this Bill as a positive contribution to the ongoing reform of the energy sector and to the challenges that we face as an industry. The distribution networks industry is at the forefront of this reform and is geared up to tackle the many demands ahead such as facilitating the government’s renewables obligation and investing in Britain’s Transmission and Distribution infrastructure. We are keen to ensure that this Bill is not a lost opportunity in the continuing journey to a more resilient energy network that is responsive to today’s demands and sensitive to our environmental obligations.

"The Bill must provide an effective framework both legally and economically that will ensure that the government’s renewables obligation can be achieved within the deadlines set. To achieve this, the Bill must provide for an offshore regulatory regime that is backed up by workable and transparent legislation. There must be no ambiguity and there should be clear assurances that there is provision to ensure that the costs of connecting this new energy source are met, and will not fall to the Transmission and Distribution companies to meet this burden.

"We are also keen to establish that the large raft of regulations that is precipitated by the Bill will meet the Regulatory Impact Unit’s test that they are effective, workable and proportionate.