To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to paragraph 5.57 of the Energy Review, what the scope is of the work being conducted on developing an offshore transmission regime; and if he will make a statement. (85723)

[holding answer 17 July 2006]: Following my announcement on 30 March 2006 that the Government had decided to extend the regulated price control model to offshore transmission, DTI and Ofgem are working with industry to develop that new regime.

Ofgem issued a scoping document setting out the main issues that need to be considered on 3 April 2006. The document can be found at:

http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/temp/ofgem/cache/cmsattach/14533_6006.pdf

Further information about the project to deliver the new regime including project structure, governance and timetable can be found at:

http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sources/renewables/policy/offshore-transmission/page28604.html

and

http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sources/renewables/policy/offshore-transmission/offshore-transmission-experts-group/page28711.html