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Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Beith MPLiberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Berwick Upon TweedWorking for you and the Berwick upon Tweed Constituency all year roundin Northumberland and in Westminster |
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Government "jumped before it was pushed" on Smart Meters
May 12, 2009 9:15 AM
North East Lib Dem MEP Fiona Hall has today called the Government's plan to equip every home in the UK with smart meters by 2020 'a jump before the push'.
While welcoming the move, Fiona says that the introduction of Smart Meters - which reduce energy use, cut carbon emissions and save customers money, is required by all members of the European Union, because of a European law passed back in 2006.
Now Fiona, who negotiated the 2006 law, has uncovered that the UK government would have been liable to infringement procedures had a commitment to full smart meter roll-out not been made immediately.
In a reply to a written answer submitted by Fiona, the European Commission said that a 'continuous lack of adequate response from the authorities…may lead to the need to ensure transposition through infringement procedure.'
Commenting on the reply Fiona said:
"Lib Dems have been calling for the mandatory roll out of Smart Meters for years as the most cost-effective answer to climate change and energy security, so it is disappointing that the UK
Government has failed to implement such an important law until now, when the possibility that penalties could be raised by the European Commission became ever more likely.
The 2006 rules were enforced a few weeks ago when Parliament voted to require the mandatory roll out of smart meters' to 80% of European homes by 2020.
"Smart meters are crucial for energy efficiency, as they allow consumers to get clear information about the energy they are using as well as providing utilities with better data," said Fiona.
"Yet Conservative MEPs in the Parliament and British Ministers pushed for delaying the deadline for mandatory roll out which is shameful.
"Smart meters help people - both consumers and companies - to save money. It is a disgrace that the UK has not made the commitment to full roll-out until now."
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