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Question
The right hon. Member expressed disappointment over the Secretary of State’s absence, criticism towards Northern Powergrid’s management and communication strategies during the storm aftermath. He raised concerns about the age of grid components and asked for an urgent independent assessment of grid resilience, information sharing protocols with local resilience forums, and compensation for affected constituents.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledged issues with initial communications from Northern Powergrid but noted improvements made since. An independent review by Ofgem will be conducted to assess the situation following Storm Arwen. Additionally, hundreds of engineers are working diligently to restore power in the remaining affected areas.
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Question
The hon. Member congratulated the right hon. Member for securing the urgent question, highlighting issues with communication between energy companies and local resilience forums. He questioned whether current legislation needs strengthening regarding information sharing and called for expedient compensation for constituents who incurred expenses during the power outage.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledged that communications from Northern Powergrid were not adequate in the early stages of the storm aftermath. The review by Ofgem will cover this aspect, and efforts are being made to ensure timely compensation for affected constituents.
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Question
I thank the engineers, the Army, the emergency services and local people in affected areas for their heroic response to the crisis. I criticise the Business Secretary’s availability only for a photo opportunity and not addressing the House regarding this matter. Why has Cobra not met yet? Why did it take a week to call in the Army when Members were calling for assistance earlier? Will the Minister now apologise to communities in the north?
Minister reply
The visit was not merely a photo opportunity but an opportunity to thank those who had responded, including engineers from Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. The mutual aid system is in place between distribution network operators; the local resilience forum decides when to call for assistance. The Army was deployed as soon as the forum requested it. £60 billion has been invested in the network over eight years, but the storm brought unusual conditions such as wind from the north-east and icing on cables which impacted restoration efforts.
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Question
I thank my right hon. Friend for his visit to Aberdeenshire when we visited engineers in a wooded area just outside the village of Methlick in my constituency. Will he join me in thanking local communities and community groups that have come out in force? Can you ensure Ofgem’s review looks at how to communicate with those overly dependent on social media during future events?
Minister reply
I thank my hon. Friend for his assistance and pay tribute to the engineers, Mike Coull from the Little Kitchen providing free fish and chips, and local communities. The review will consider the robustness of the network and recovery plans as well as the dependency on electricity and how it can be communicated effectively in future.
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Question
I pay tribute to those affected and community support but reality is unacceptable for people to remain without power for 10 days. What discussions have the Government had about the robustness of modelling, network itself, recovery plans? Have all technologies been deployed such as drones? What compensation will be provided to customers?
Minister reply
I met Chris Burchell from SSE who put himself on the spot about his communications which were better than Northern Powergrid's. The deployment of the Army is a role for the local resilience forum, and I thank Jim Savege for leading it in Aberdeenshire. NEWSAC allows deployment of engineers across the UK; 630 came to Scotland from elsewhere, with 400 currently in the north-east of England.
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Question
Expresses concern over Northern Powergrid's delayed communications impacting response time and calls for compensation before Christmas. Asks about preparations for Storm Barra and the BEIS and Ofgem review on infrastructure resilience.
Minister reply
Acknowledges communication issues with Northern Powergrid, mentions automatic compensation but it takes up to three months. Discusses preparations for Storm Barra through NEWSAC committee. Notes previous reviews led to reforms such as 105 telephone number and mutual aid networks.
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Question
Questions the three-month timeline for compensation, suggesting it is unacceptable for those affected by Storm Arwen.
Minister reply
Acknowledges the passion of the hon. Member but highlights community responses in providing immediate relief. Notes 99.8% reconnection achieved and commits to learning lessons through established processes.
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Question
Praises work done by engineers and emergency services, requests review of mobile communications network.
Minister reply
Acknowledges contributions from colleagues in addressing the issue. Agrees to consider a review of the communications network as part of the broader review.
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Question
Challenges Minister on delays and support, suggests a public inquiry is necessary.
Minister reply
Rejects north-south divide claims but acknowledges the difficulty of predicting where damage will occur. Emphasises swift engineering response involving cross-UK teams.
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Question
Acknowledges efforts and asks for lessons learned to ensure quicker support, including early Army deployment.
Minister reply
Thanks hon. Friend for engagement and mentions 755 peak generators deployed. Highlights role of local resilience forums in assessing needs.
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Question
Constituents in villages such as Croxdale are experiencing internet access problems due to Storm Barra. Can the Minister promise immediate Government support if further disruption occurs? Will he work with Openreach and providers to restore internet access?
Minister reply
The Minister commits to working with local resilience fora, similar to those established during previous storms. He emphasises that while climate change increases such events' frequency, efforts will be made to ensure these fora are prepared.
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Question
Why do customers have to wait up to three months for compensation payments? Is it possible to expedite this process?
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledges the issue but states that it is not typical and aims to address delays through engagement with distribution network operators.
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Question
Why was the Member for Gordon not included in the visit? Will the criteria for military aid be reviewed for future events?
Minister reply
The Minister clarifies that the hon. Gentleman's office was informed about the visit and expresses gratitude to local responders. He also notes that the military response was swift when requested.
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Question
Given the power grid disruption, will the Government look into placing more power cables underground for resilience?
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledges the cost and disruption of underground cabling but suggests an organic approach involving collaboration with companies and engineering resources.
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Question
Is Northern Powergrid prioritising profits over people by failing to invest in the network?
Minister reply
The Minister counters that distribution network operators have invested £60 billion and emphasises the effectiveness of the NEWSAC mechanism.
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Question
What can be done to mandate minimum standards for surveys of damage after storms and data logging of outages?
Minister reply
The Minister thanks the hon. Gentleman and offers to follow up with SSEN regarding a constituent's issue, highlighting that communication improvements will be part of the review.
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Question
Why were there not enough generators? Why were no proper plans in place? Is the current energy market working for the north-east?
Minister reply
The Minister clarifies that 755 generators were deployed at peak times and expresses gratitude to those working on recovery efforts, rejecting criticism of the Secretary of State's visit.
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Question
Should the review look into increasing capacity in terms of materials, machinery, generators, spares and people for future storms?
Minister reply
The Minister suggests waiting for the review's findings rather than prejudging its recommendations, emphasising past lessons learned.
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Question
Why did it take five days for the Government to address the issue in Parliament? Why was there a delay in deploying additional generators?
Minister reply
The Minister prefers using existing review mechanisms over public inquiries, stating that NEWSAC and mutual aid were deployed promptly. He also highlights the immediate military response when requested.