Finance Bill

Will the Chief Secretary reconsider his point about huge costs? As I understand it, according to the figures, the scheme in Germany cost its Exchequer nothing last year, and it cost the energy industry a total of €15 per household bill per year to finance. So far as the Germans are concerned, the claims of huge costs do not stack up. Will the Chief Secretary also reconsider what he said about renewables obligation certificates? It would help if the Treasury could examine whether they work in terms of accessibility. I am a generator of surplus energy who has been defeated by the process of claiming ROCs. If those of us who are anoraks cannot get through the maze, then those who are keen but are not anoraks will give up, too, and the system of ROCs will defeat all the Government’s intentions.