Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, for what reasons she decided that the installation of SMETS 1 meters should cease 12 months after the activation of the Data Communications Company.

The Government’s rationale for its decision on these matters is set out in its consultation on the Smart Metering Rollout Strategy, published in March 2015, and subsequent response, published in July 2015:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/smart-metering-rollout-strategy.

The SMETS1 end date reflects the need to ensure a transitional period from SMETS1 to SMETS2 meters, whilst ensuring that an enduring SMETS2 solution is made available at the earliest reasonable date.