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link to the Office of Fair Trading

link to European Commission

Link to ofgem - Ofgem is the Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets, regulating the gas and electricity industries in Great Britain.

Link to Ofwat - the Office of Water Services, the economic regulator for the water industry in England and Wales

Link to Ofcom - UK comminications sector regulator

Link to The Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR), the independent government department responsible for the regulation of the railways in Great Britain

Link to CAA - The CAA is the UK's specialist aviation regulator

Link to Ofreg - The Office for the Regulation of Electricity & Gas an independent public body set up to monitor the electricity and natural gas industries in Northern Ireland.

Economic Regulation
| Introduction | Reports |
 

 

Economic Regulation

Introduction

The Economic Regulation Team is part of the Consumer and Competition Policy Directorate in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). It drives best practice and future development of competition and regulation policy in the regulated sectors. 

The Team provides the Department and Whitehall with informed analysis, assessment, and recommendations on development of UK and EC sectoral regulation.

The Team usually delivers through joint working with HM Treasury, by undertaking projects to consider cross-cutting regulatory issues. The two Departments jointly take the lead in formulating economic regulation policy and ensuring the regulatory framework is fit for purpose.

For issues where the DTI has a significant cross-cutting and sector responsibility, the Economic Regulation Team coordinates and communicates on behalf of Government.

Consultation on proposals to strengthen consumer representation

January 2006. Views are sought on proposals to consolidate existing consumer bodies into a single, coherent, consumer advocacy body and on the introduction of new ombudsman schemes to resolve complaints. Closing date is 19 April 2006.

 

Reports

Consumer Representation in Regulated Industries

A report by DTI and HM Treasury on the efficiency and effectiveness of sectoral consumer bodies, including recommendations on sharing best practice and enhancing effectiveness

 

 


Report (47 pages)

Benchmarking Review of Energywatch and Postwatch

This report by PricewaterhouseCoopers was commissioned jointly by the National Audit Office, DTI, and HM Treasury. It formed an important base for the separate reports by the DTI and HM Treasury on "Consumer Representation in Regulated Industries" (see above) and the National Audit Office report "Energywatch and Postwatch: Helping and Protecting Consumers".

Benchmarking Review Report (112 pages).
Appendix A - Terms of Reference (5 pages)
Appendix B & C - Lists of those consulted and documents reviewed (11 pages).

The Drivers and Public Policy Consequences of Increased Gearing

This paper aims to inform Government and regulators' understanding of the issues associated with an increase in debt financing by companies in the regulated utilities markets. It considers the reasons why utility companies have geared up; outlines the possible public policy consequences of increased levels of debt financing; and describes the way regulators have responded. The paper has been written jointly by DTI and HM Treasury, as part of a series of projects considering cross-cutting issues in utility regulation.

Report (47 pages)

Back to UK Competition Policy page.

 
DTI Enquiry Unit dti.enquiries@dti.gsi.gov.uk 020 7215 5000

 


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Last updated 24 January 2006

Department of Trade and Industry

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