Hello and welcome to a special edition of Spectator Radio.

I'm Kate Andrews, the Spectator's economics editor, and I'll be your host for the next half hour.

Over 25 million smart meters have been installed across Britain.

Does this officially mean that smart meters have been a success?

In 2019, the Spectator hosted Smart Energy

GP on a podcast discuss their rollout, and now we're back again to reflect on what we've

learned over the years and where there are still challenges. Have people's understandings of

smart meters changed? And are they really as good and efficient as they seem? With me to discuss where smart meters can fit into the netseer or ambition,

I'm joined by Fleer Lawton, head of public affairs at Smart Energy G.B,

Adam John, who is a reporter at Utility Weekly,

and Jerome Mayhew, Conservative MP, who sits on the Environmental Audit Committee.

This podcast is kindly sponsored by Smart Energy GP.

Well, Fleer, Adam and John, it's great to have you on the podcast.

Adam, I'll start with you.

Have your views changed on Smart Meters since you were last on this podcast?

You mentioned then that attitudes towards Smart Meters could be dramatically improved

if they could be seen as part of efforts to decarbonize.

I think we're getting there definitely. I think we're in a much better position than we were the last time I was on the podcast.

I think the conversation is now starting to shift towards the green element of the smart meter rollout and the benefits that the devices can provide for

everyday consumers. I think previously there was a lot of emphasis on cost and I think that is

totally understandable because when you're trying to get a mass market on board costs are important

to everybody. But I think also now there is an element that we need

...