This has been a useful and interesting debate. I understand full well my hon. Friend’s desire to see a statutory link between microgeneration and the regulator, Ofgem and I welcome the amendment as a more considered proposal than that in previous drafts. Clause 8, as originally drafted, was not acceptable to the Government because it aimed to elevate microgeneration above other forms of generation, including renewables, in Ofgem’s hierarchy of decision making.

Regulatory certainty is essential if we are to deliver our energy goals. Less than two years ago, an amendment was proposed that would have altered   Ofgem’s duties so that renewables were the main focus. We resisted that. Ofgem’s duties are less than five years old. Those duties were considered while working on “Our energy future—creating a low carbon economy”, the energy White Paper published in 2003, they were debated during the passage of the Energy Bill, and stakeholders know and understand them. Had we agreed the Energy Bill amendment, and now this proposal to add microgeneration to Ofgem’s duties, we would have created, by such chopping and changing, the exact uncertainty we wish to avoid.