Page 40 - Lawtext Utility Law Review Journal Sample

UK CURRENT SURVEY
New gas installer registration scheme The HSE has announced a competition to run a new gas installer registration scheme
EO29:07 27 July 2007
Smart energy meters
R/31 12 July 2007
Misleading mailings
73/07 14 May 2007 and 89/07 22 has given assurances that it will no longer distribute mailings in the United Kingdom which
June 2007
UTILITIES LAW REVIEW PUBLISHED BY LAWTEXT PUBLISHING LIMITED
16[2006/2007]4 ULR 187
the process by which people may make representations.
• The Register of Permits kept by the Secretary of State must now contain details of
public participation in the decision-making process including a summary of the concerns
expressed and a reason for the decision.
The above measures are intended to increase the level of public scrutiny and debate
surrounding applications for offshore licences and permits, and the decisions of the Secretary
of State. The move away from simple Gazette notices means that members of the public
not previously aware of developments potentially affecting the environment can become
engaged in the decision-making process.
Health and Safety Executive
www.hse.gov.uk
aimed at improving domestic gas safety standards. The elements of the new scheme will
be:
• single provider appointed to run the new scheme for five years,
• the new registration scheme provider will co-ordinate stronger industry action to
raise public awareness of gas safety,
• the new provider will have other functions, for example, dealing with illegal, –
unregistered installers, and
• it will be asked to review the competence requirements for registration of gas installers
in order to simplify the current requirements and reduce burdens on installers.
The competition will involve a two-stage process whereby interested parties submit a
written pre-qualification statement establishing their competence to submit a full bid. The
overall objective of the gas installer registration scheme is to ensure safe standards of gas
work to contribute to consumer gas safety. CORGI (the Council of Registered Gas
Installers) is currently approved by HSE to undertake this task and it maintains a register of
installers qualified to install or repair gas fittings and appliances. CORGI will be allowed to
bid alongside other prospective bidders, and the new scheme is expected to be in place
before the end of July 2008.
Ofgem
www.ofgem.gov.uk
Smart meters provide a number of benefits to consumers such as:
• relaying energy use directly to a supplier, avoiding the need for estimated bills,
• allowing customers to track their energy use, and
• potentially improving take-up of home electricity generation such as solar panels, as
they can record how much power customers may be exporting back onto the
networks.
New two-year trials will look at how customers react to smart meters which give better
information on gas and electricity consumption. The government is also working to remove
regulatory barriers which could potentially prevent or delay their widespread use.
POSTAL SERVICES
Office of Fair Trading
www.oft.gov.uk
A US-based publisher, De Monaco Heritage Fund (and its Swiss marketers-Proveritas AG),
misleadingly imply that consumers have been selected to receive a large cash award. The
letters claimed to have come from Jacqueline De Monaco, the founder of a private fund
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