Charles Coulthard

Charles Coulthard is currently a member of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland.

He was Managing Director of Ofgem (the Gas and Electricity regulator) in Scotland. OFGEM is clear about its role and remit: 'Protecting consumers is Ofgem’s first priority. We do this by promoting competition, wherever appropriate, and regulating the monopoly companies which run the gas and electricity networks. Other priorities and influences include: helping to secure Britain’s energy supplies by promoting competitive gas and electricity markets - and regulating them so that there is adequate investment in the networks' .

Mr Coulthard, as OFGEM Director General for Scotland was involved in liberalising the Energy Market in Scotland by lifting price controls. In 2000 he said, that:

These proposals taken together will significantly liberalise the Scottish electricity market. At the same time, the methods proposed will increase competition on a cross-border basis among generators and suppliers. This can only benefit customers in Scotland. The reality is that competition in gas and electricity in Scotland has moved on significantly since it began more than two years ago. Today, everyone is benefiting from competition. Because of this, we believe that all remaining price controls can now be safely lifted.

In spite of the rhetoric of Mr Couthard in 2000 and OFGEM today the interests of consumers are not being proteceted by competition and the lifting of price controls. On the contrary: fuel poverty is now one of the main issues of the day. Since the lifting of price controls prices have risen greatly, despite the assurances given by Mr Coulthard at the time. In fact, ‘overall, in only two years (between 2004-2006), gas prices in Scotland have gone up 40 per cent and electricity prices by 30 per cent’. This has led to predictions that ‘the number of households facing fuel poverty - defined as spending 10 per cent or more of family income on gas and electricity - will double’.. 2008 has seen massive Gas Price rises. For instance Scottish Power raised its prices by 34% in August 2008, to such an extent that Age Concern Estimate 1 in 3 pensioners will be living in Fuel Poverty during winter 2009-09 .

He served as Deputy Director of the Office for the Regulation of Electricity and Gas in Northern Ireland between 1992 and 1999. He is also currently the Chair of the Gas and Electricity Consumers Council in Scotland.

Mr Coulthard, in 2000, spoke at the Institute of Economic Affairs' annual conference, ‘UK Energy: Creating value in a competitive market’.

He is also a member of the David Hume Institute, an institute that supports ,market solutions and approaches in dtermining economic well-being..

Mr Coultard is also currently employed in Northern Ireland as part of a four person review into the future of financing there and possible future water governance and ownership models. Mr Coulthard, alongside his fellow review panel members has been trailed as an 'independent'. Given his support for market based approaches in his role at the Water Industry Commission for Scotland and OFGEM its difficult to see how he can be described as independent, especially given the overwhelming support in N. Ireland for public ownership and charges to be paid for through general taxation.

Affiliations

• member Kilsyth Community Council
• member and Scottish Chairman Gas and Electricity Consumers Council in Scotland.
• member Independent Water Review Panel for Northern Ireland
• Consumer Council for Northern Ireland