Downing Street Says » Gas Supply

Asked about the instability of Europe’s dependence on gas supply from Russia, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said there were three factors to consider, firstly the immediate supply situation for this country was not affected in any substantial way, as Malcolm Wicks had indicated. Secondly, there were clearly problems in terms of Europe and thirdly there was a longer-term issue of security of energy supply. In terms of the immediate situation for Europe the EU gas storage would act as a temporary buffer.

The Commission was holding a technical meeting at official level tomorrow to establish the facts. A DTI official would be in attendance. Clearly we believed that it was in the interests of everybody, not least Russia and the Ukraine, that this issue be resolved a quickly as possible. The Prime Minister himself highlighted the potential problems of energy security and supply at the Hampton Court Summit last November. He said then that he believed that the EU needed to come up with a coherent energy policy. These events had underlined the Prime Minister’s thinking around that argument. This was something that we would pursue.

Asked whether Russia’s decision would have any affect on our nuclear energy review, the PMOS said that security of supply was one of the reasons behind what the Prime Minister had said at Hampton Court and in setting up the review. It was however not a knee jerk to one particular event. It had to take into account the need for security and diversity of supply further down the line as such that was one of the elements that had to be considered. What he would not do however was draw a neat line between one specific event and the review as that was not the right thing to do. The issue of security of supply had already existed before this event but clearly this event underlined that issue.

Put to him that the Prime Minister had got into difficulty at PMQs by saying that British Gas was cheaper than European gas and whether there was any truth to the allegation that some EU members protected domestic consumers at the expense of wider obligations to peripheral partners through their gas lines, the PMOS suggested that sounded like an advanced gas question more appropriate for the DTI to answer. There were all sorts of reasons why the Prime Minister felt it was right to have a coherent European energy policy. One of them was that everyone had a different approach and it was sensible to have a coherent approach to help make the industry more effective and efficient.

3 Comments »

Oh jolly good, that’s alright then, The Russians arn’t going to hold the EU to ransom, honest.
Comment by Colonel Mad — 3 Jan 2006 on 8:57 pm | Link
In Ireland we’ve been encouraged for years to believe that gas is the way forward. At this B.&B. we use a mixture of solid fuel, oil and bottled gas. To connect to the mains gas would have meant further disruption to the building,modifications to the central heating unit, installation of ventilators, removal of solid fuel stove and other expensive and destructive alterations leaving us exclusively at the mercy of market forces and gas (hikes.)
First we hear that gas is going up in price despite promises that it would be capped for some years. Then we hear that as we are at the end (quite literally!) of the russian supply line, we will be first to be inconvenienced if something goes wrong. Does this mean that Russia can switch off on Poland who can deprive germany who can isolate supply to France etc. Just simple border taps….really? So how come we haven’t had more major incidences – talk about countries holding each other to ransom! You would think that England could have frozen Ireland into submission long ago over the paramilitary activity it chose to overlook for so long. Still, it’s worth a thought isn’t it. Paul.
Comment by Paul Jennings — 7 Jan 2006 on 9:42 pm | Link
In Ireland we’ve been encouraged for years to believe that gas is the way forward. At this B.&B. we use a mixture of solid fuel, oil and bottled gas. To connect to the mains gas would have meant further disruption to the building,modifications to the central heating unit, installation of ventilators, removal of solid fuel stove and other expensive and destructive alterations leaving us exclusively at the mercy of market forces and gas (hikes.)
First we hear that gas is going up in price despite promises that it would be capped for some years. Then we hear that as we are at the end (quite literally!) of the russian supply line, we will be first to be inconvenienced if something goes wrong. Does this mean that Russia can switch off on Poland who can deprive germany who can isolate supply to France etc. Just simple border taps….really? So how come we haven’t had more major incidences – talk about countries holding each other to ransom! You would think that England could have frozen Ireland into submission long ago over the paramilitary activity it chose to overlook for so long. Still, it’s worth a thought isn’t it. Paul.
Comment by Paul Jennings — 7 Jan 2006 on 9:43 pm | Link

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» Tuesday, January 3, 2006

Gas Supply

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