
1 
These Regulations may be cited as the Utilities Act 2000 (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2001 and shall come into force on 16th May 2001.
2 
In these Regulations—
 “the Act” means the Utilities Act 2000;
 “the appointed time”—
 in the case of articles 3 and 4 means the time at which new section 6(9) is inserted into the Electricity Act 1989 by section 30 of the Act; and
 in the case of article 5 means the time at which section 7 of the Gas Act 1986 is amended by section 76(1) and (2) of the Act.
3 
In the case of any consultation required to be carried out by the Secretary of State under new section 32(7) of the Electricity Act 1989 (as inserted into that Act by section 62 of the Act) where that consultation is commenced prior to the appointed time, consultation with those persons authorised to supply electricity under section 6(1)(c) or section 6(2) of the Electricity Act 1989 shall be regarded as contributing to the satisfaction of the consultation requirement imposed by paragraph (c) of the new section 32(7).
4 
In the case of any consultation required to be carried out by the Authority under section 40B of the Electricity Act 1989 (as inserted into that Act by section 56 of the Act) where that consultation is commenced prior to the appointed time, consultation with those persons authorised to supply electricity under section 6(1)(c) or section 6(2) of the Electricity Act 1989 shall be regarded as the consultation required by paragraph (a) of section 40B(4).
5 
In the case of any consultation required to be carried out by the Authority under section 33BAA of the Gas Act 1986 (as inserted into that Act by section 92 of the Act) where that consultation is commenced prior to the appointed time, consultation with those persons identified by section 7(1) of the Gas Act 1986 as “public gas transporters” shall be regarded as the consultation required by paragraph (a) of section 33BAA(4) in so far as that provision requires consultation with “gas transporters”.
Peter Hain,
Minister for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe
Department of Trade and Industry
8th May 2001