Regulating Public Utilities
A Legal and Constitutional Approach
Published on 1. February 2000
Book
Hardback
224 pages
978-1-901362-86-2 (ISBN)
Description
This book examines the implications for public law of the regulation of privatised utilities, asking how these institutions fit into our constitutional understandings regarding accountability, individual rights and territorial government. It argues that new approaches are needed if constitutional and regulatory principles are to accommodate one another. This is of particular interest in the context of recent constitutional reforms and the growing influence of European integration. After describing the institutions, their powers and duties, particular attention is paid to the position of consumers, the role of the European Community, territorial government and the place of individual rights. The book concludes by looking at price control, the coming of competitive markets for utility services and the future of the regulatory system in the light of convergence, multi-utilities and the government's planned reforms.
Reviews / Votes
The book provides the most effective description of the law of utilities regulation in the UK since Tony Prosser's Law and Regulators. Colin Scott Public Law June 2002 ...a thoughtful and thought-provoking work. Chris Finn Journal of Law and Society June 2002More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
505 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-901362-86-2 (9781901362862)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Cosmo Graham is Professor of Law at the University of Leicester.
Content
Part 1 The constitution, regulation and privatisation: introduction; what is the constitution? - ministerial accountability, individual rights, territorial powers; the background to regulation - the privatisation programme - increasing competition?, regulation; conclusions. Part 2 The duties, powers and responsibilities of the regulator: duties of the regulator - primary duties, secondary duties, environmental duties, safety duties; conclusions on the Director Generals' duties; responsibilities of regulators - responsibilities in relation to licences - grant, modification and enforcement, competition law powers and relationship with the competition authorities, collection and provision of relevant information, consumer protection - quality of service, dealing with complaints and disputes, inter-connection disputes; conclusions. Part 3 Regulators and Ministers: government powers over regulators; relations with the Competition Commission; government powers in practice - merger control and the electricity industry, competition in gas supply, charging for water, the convergence of telecommunications, broadcasting and computer systems, the poverty issue; reform and the Green Paper; conclusions. Part 4 Procedures and accountability: traditional accountability devices - the role of the courts, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, parliamentary committees; decision-making procedures - licence modification, enforcement; regulatory review and freedom of information. Part 5 Representing the consumer: the legal framework of consumer representation - relations with the regulator and the companies; quality of service; access to utility services - disconnection for debt, universal service; conclusions. Part 6 The regions and Europe: territory and the constitution; regional aspects of utility regulation; the role of the European Community; conclusions. Part 7 Rights and the social dimension: rights talk; the Human Rights Act; social rights and obligations; the EC and utilities policy; a new government and a new approach?; conclusions. Part 8 Issues in price control: price control - origin and issues; legal framework; price control and the water industry; electricity; gas; telecommunications; conclusions. Part 9 The development of competitive markets: developing the policy - telecommunications, gas supply, electricity; the new Competition Act; conclusions. Part 10 Conclusions.