Part 2: Schemes for Reducing Fuel Poverty Commentary on Sections Section 11: Reconciliation mechanism: regulations
56.It is possible that some suppliers could have a disproportionate number of eligible people in their customer base. Depending on the design of the scheme, this could lead to an inequitable distribution amongst suppliers of the obligations to provide benefits. If that happens, it is the Government’s intention to put in place a mechanism to redistribute some of the costs of the scheme.
57.Subsections (1) and (2) allow the Secretary of State to establish a reconciliation mechanism for the purposes of ensuring the amounts of benefits provided by a scheme for reducing fuel poverty are distributed equitably, as far as reasonably practicable, amongst suppliers. It would be possible for Ofgem to be the operator of the mechanism (see subsection (5)).
58.Subsection (3) provides for the mechanism for balancing payments to be made, by enabling the Secretary of State to require suppliers to make payments to the operator of the reconciliation mechanism or other suppliers and to confer on scheme suppliers entitlements to receive payments from the scheme operator or other suppliers.
59.Subsection (3)(c) allows regulations to provide that the reconciliation mechanism operator can determine the payments required. If such a provision is included, subsection (4) requires the regulations also to include provision for appeals where Ofgem is not the mechanism operator. Where Ofgem is the operator, provision for appeals is not needed because judicial review will be available as a means of challenging its decisions.
60.The regulations may require suppliers to provide such information to the operator of the scheme as the operator might require in order to carry out its functions in relation to the reconciliation mechanism (subsection (6)).