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Legal and related matters
Metering competition investigation
In June 2005, Ofgem announced that it was going to investigate certain aspects of the domestic gas metering business under the Competition Act 1998 and information requested as part of this investigation has been provided to Ofgem. No findings have been issued with respect to this investigation. However, a supplemental statement of objections was issued by Ofgem in April 2007 to which we will respond shortly.
Environmental remediation
In last year's Annual Report and Accounts we noted that we, together with the Environment Agency, had sought judicial review to clarify the legal position with regard to the remediation of a site in Bawtry, Yorkshire, a former gas site that was not part of the assets that formed part of the gas privatisation in 1986 and therefore has never been owned by National Grid. On 17 May 2006, the High Court found in favour of the Environment Agency. However, the judgement concluded that the matters raised in the proceedings were of considerable general importance and permission to apply for leave to appeal directly to the House of Lords was granted.
A hearing before the House of Lords has been set for 21 and 22 May 2007 and a judgement is expected in the summer of 2007.
As described in Commitments and contingencies section g, we remain convinced of our case that National Grid has no legal liability with respect to the site in Bawtry, nor for other former UK gas sites which did not form part of the assets we acquired at the time of privatisation, and we believe that our position will be upheld by the House of Lords.