Zero Carbon Electricity System Dr Simon Opher (Stroud) (Lab) 1.
What recent progress he has made on meeting his target to have a
zero carbon electricity system by 2030.(900536) Mr Alex
Barros-Curtis (Cardiff West) (Lab) 8. What recent progress he has
made on meeting his target to have a zero carbon electricity system
by 2030.(900544) The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net
Zero (Ed Miliband) In 12 weeks, this Government have hit the
ground...Request free trial
Zero Carbon Electricity System
Dr (Stroud) (Lab)
1. What recent progress he has made on meeting his target to have
a zero carbon electricity system by 2030.(900536)
Mr (Cardiff West)
(Lab)
8. What recent progress he has made on meeting his target to have
a zero carbon electricity system by 2030.(900544)
The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero ()
In 12 weeks, this Government have hit the ground running for our
2030 target by ending the onshore wind ban in place for nine
years under the Conservative party, consenting to more nationally
significant solar projects than in 14 years of the last
Government, and overseeing the most successful renewables auction
in history compared with the Conservatives' disastrous auction
round that crashed offshore wind. This is a Government in a hurry
to meet our mandate from the British people, and we are just
getting started.
Dr Opher
I thank the Secretary of State for his really rapid action to
reach our 100% sustainable goals by 2030. It has developed a real
excitement in this country, and the people I speak to are
genuinely behind this action. In Stroud, we are developing a
community energy programme of putting solar panels on every
school and public building that agrees to it. What steps is he
taking to support solar on schools and public buildings, and can
he ensure there are no barriers to progress?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the importance of both
rooftop solar and ground-mounted solar. I can tell him that, as
part of Great British Energy's plans, we want to work with local
schools, local hospitals and, indeed, local leaders to have a
solar panels programme, because this is a way to rapidly
decarbonise and to save money off bills.
Mr Barros-Curtis
I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. Cantonian high
school in my constituency of Cardiff West will be the first
Cardiff school to be operationally net zero in line with Welsh
Government standards, while the building work itself will feature
a significant reduction in embodied carbon. Fairwater community
campus will be a collection of highly energy-efficient buildings
that are powered from renewable energy sources, helping Cardiff
to deliver on its One Planet strategy, which outlines the city's
ambition to mitigate climate change. Will the Secretary of State
join me in celebrating the development, and agree with me that
this sort of collaborative vision is required to deliver on our
net zero commitments both here and in Wales?
Mr Speaker
Order. Just to help everybody, the hon. Gentleman is meant to go
through the Chair, but he was looking at the Secretary of State.
As good looking as the Secretary of State is, it is easier if the
hon. Gentleman speaks to me, and then I can pick up what he
says.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker—and you, too, if I may say so.
[Laughter.]
I congratulate my hon. Friend, but particularly the Fairwater
community campus on the work it is doing. I think he highlights a
very important issue. By helping to decarbonise public buildings,
including schools, we help not only to cut our carbon emissions,
but, crucially, to save money for those schools that they can
then use for frontline services.
(Harborough, Oadby and
Wigston) (Con)
The previous Secretary of State commissioned the Department to
produce a full economic costing for getting to a fully
decarbonised renewables-based grid by 2030, as the Secretary of
State wants. That is obviously the sort of information that
should be placed before the House so that we can have an informed
discussion. It may be a good thing to do, but we should obviously
know what the cost is. When will the Secretary of State publish
that information?
Of course, that work is ongoing—in fact, I think the right hon.
Lady the shadow Secretary of State has written me a letter about
it—and we will be announcing our plans in due course.
Mr (Fylde) (Con)
In my constituency, two major offshore wind farms are currently
being developed: Morgan and Morecambe. I recently met nearly 100
farmers who will be directly affected by the cabling corridor and
the substation plans for the cabling route to connect to
Penwortham. I am working with the hon. Member for Blackpool North
and Fleetwood () on a potentially better
route through her constituency, which would mean a major economic
development revitalising an industrial area that has been looking
for a major energy project for some time. We are jointly writing
to the Secretary of State, and may I ask if he would commit to
working with us on at least assessing that potentially
alternative route for the cabling corridor?
The hon. Gentleman—and he knows this—will obviously want to stand
up for what he sees as the best benefits for his constituency. I
will be cautious about what I say, because there are proper
procedures for planning decisions, including my quasi-judicial
role. I will make this general point to the House, because I
think this may well be a recurring theme during questions, but if
we want to get off the dangerous exposure to international fossil
fuel markets, which we were left with by the last Government, we
need to build the grid. Every solar panel we put up, every wind
turbine we put up and every piece of grid we build will help to
deliver energy security for the British people.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Wyre Forest) (Con)
Not only is the Secretary of State a very good looking fellow,
but we in this House all know that he is an incredibly
hard-working and very open Minister, as indeed are his whole
team. So I know that the reason he has not replied to my letter
of 11 September is that he and his team will be working their
socks off to get a full and open answer to all my questions. He
has already made reference to one of my colleagues and said that
he will produce “in due course” a full systems cost analysis. May
I stress that it is incredibly important that we in this House
have that systems cost analysis as soon as possible, so that not
only can we analyse his ambitious plans for carbon-neutral
targets, but we can also explain to our constituents exactly how
much it will cost them in their bills to deliver his target?
Let me tell the hon. Gentleman a little about the situation that
we inherited from the last Government, because it is very
relevant—obviously, he was not a Minister in that last
Government. We inherited a situation where there was no plan: no
plan for their target of 95% clean power by 2030, no plan for
their target of clean power by 2035, and no plan to avoid a
repeat of the worst cost of living crisis in generations. This
Government are developing a plan and will publish it in due
course.
Climate Change: International Work
(Paisley and Renfrewshire
South) (Lab)
2. What steps he is taking with his international counterparts to
tackle climate change. (900537)
(Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)
18. What steps he is taking with his international counterparts
to tackle climate change. (900555)
(Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)
21. What steps he is taking with his international counterparts
to tackle climate change. (900558)
The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero ()
This Government believe that we can only ensure climate security
for further generations in the UK if we lead globally. That was
the message of the Prime Minister at the United Nations General
Assembly with our world-leading 2030 clean power plan, no new oil
and gas licences, and playing our part in reforming the global
financial system. Next month I will be attending the COP29 talks
in Azerbaijan to stand up for Britain's interests.
It is brilliant to see the Secretary of State commit to putting
climate diplomacy back at the heart of Cabinet, and I know he
will bring a great amount of experience to that role. Sir David
Attenborough has repeatedly warned that our planet hangs in the
balance, so will my right hon. Friend explain to the House what
he will do to ensure that Britain is once again a main player on
the world stage in tackling the climate emergency? Will he meet
me and representatives from my constituency of Paisley and
Renfrewshire South to discuss the work that they are doing on
rewilding, in an effort to play their part in tackling the
climate emergency?
It sounds like my hon. Friend's constituents are doing important
work. She is absolutely right. The last Government used to say
that we have only 1% of global emissions, as if that was a sort
of excuse for inaction on the world stage. We see it differently.
We see that only by leading at home can we provide the platform
to lead internationally. This Government have in a few short
months put Britian back on the world stage on climate, and we
will be working with our best endeavours to ensure that we tackle
the situation we have inherited—I am afraid the world is miles
off track for keeping global warming to 1.5°.
Mr Speaker
I call .
Thank you Mr Speaker—I've done the training. I welcome the
Secretary of State's warm words about our leadership on
international climate issues, which is in stark contrast to the
previous Government's failings. I also publicly welcome his
recent visit to Harlow college—less said about the racing game,
which he won, the better. Does he agree that it is only thanks to
the commitment shown by the new Government to drastically deliver
on climate change issues that we can lead on a world stage?
Mr Speaker
Neatly done, although it was a little long. Come on Secretary of
State.
My hon. Friend did very well, and I agree with him. Part of the
problem with the last Government—I do not doubt that there were
people making good endeavours—is that when we do something
different at home to what we preach internationally, such as say
we are going to power past coal by opening a new coalmine, people
say, “Well, you are saying one thing and doing another.”
Consistency is the absolute foundation for global leadership.
I welcome the Secretary of State's commitment to our
international obligations, whether that is clean power lines or
our own strong domestic climate policies that will help areas
such as Rochdale, with billpayers in recent years facing the grim
possibility of high bills. This will make a huge difference, and
the obvious comparison with the previous Government is there for
everyone to see. Will he outline to the House what further steps
he is taking on the global stage at both COP29 and COP30 to
increase our global reach on climate?
I will say one thing in particular to my hon. Friend. The Prime
Minister said at the United Nations General Assembly that we will
be unveiling our nationally determined contribution—our target
for 2035—at COP29. We are doing that because the danger is that
the world settles into a low-ambition equilibrium when it comes
to tackling these issues. By having a 1.5º aligned target, we
hope to set a good benchmark and a good example for the
world.
(Twickenham) (LD)
The Climate Change Committee has said that there should be no
more than a 25% increase in airport capacity, compared with 2018
levels, if we are to achieve net zero by 2050, yet current
planned and recently approved airport expansions will allow for a
50% to 70% increase in demand. Can the Secretary of State explain
why Ministers in the Department for Transport are considering
giving a green light to a third runway at Heathrow? How on earth
will that allow the country to meet its net zero targets?
The beauty of carbon budgets and the system that was introduced
when I was last in government—to be fair, it was carried on by
the previous Government of the past 14 years—is that they do at
least in theory constrain what the Government do. It is very
important that we take carbon budgets seriously in our plans. The
plans we inherited from the last Government were way off track
for meeting our carbon budgets, which is what this Government
will do.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I very much welcome the Secretary of State to his place. Climate
change is real; it is not a myth. The quicker that everyone
understands that, the better. Can I pose a question to the
Secretary of State on rewilding? There are some suggestions among
experts that rewilding by planting trees on moor and heather
might not be the most constructive way of utilising rewilding.
Has he had an opportunity to look at the issue of rewilding on
moors and heather, which I understand that many experts think is
detrimental?
I take the hon. Gentleman seriously on these issues, and I
undertake to write to him or to have one of the Ministers write
to him. I make the general point that rewilding and nature-based
solutions are an essential part of tackling the climate
crisis.
(Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD)
International trade deals are a great way of using our leverage
to make sure we advance our agenda on things such as tackling
climate change. The previous Government let Britain down
massively, conducting trade deals that let us down on farming, on
food production and especially on climate change. Will the
Secretary of State ensure that this Government use the creation
of new trade deals to advance our agenda on tackling climate
change?
Yes, and that is something I am already discussing with my right
hon. Friend the Business Secretary.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Beaconsfield) (Con)
May I congratulate the Secretary of State on his appointment of
Rachel Kyte as his climate envoy to support his work with
international partners? Before her appointment, did the Secretary
of State declare to officials her links with Quadrature Capital,
which donated £4 million to the Labour party? Also, did he
declare her links to the Green Initiative Foundation, which gave
him £99,000? A yes or no answer will suffice.
All the proper processes were followed by the Foreign Office,
which was in charge of the appointment. I have to say that this
is a very sad reflection on the Conservative party. Rachel Kyte
is an esteemed person who is recognised for her leadership, and
all the Conservatives can do is fling around baseless
allegations.
Onshore Wind Energy
Mr (Taunton and Wellington)
(LD)
3. What steps he is taking to help increase levels of onshore
wind energy production. (900538)
The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero ()
After nine years of the disastrous, bill-raising ban on onshore
wind in England, this Government overturned the ban in our first
72 hours in office. We have also set up the onshore wind
taskforce to restore the pipeline of projects destroyed by the
last Government. In the recent renewables auction, almost 1 GW of
onshore wind was secured at prices that make it among the
lowest-cost power sources to build and operate.
Mr Amos
When will the Secretary of State bring forward proposals for
community benefit for those living alongside wind and solar farms
to greater incentivise the permitting of wind and solar farms,
including Ham solar farm in my constituency? Will that include a
minimum level of compensation for the communities affected?
I am sympathetic to what the hon. Gentleman says. We are working
on proposals on community benefit. I believe that when
communities host clean energy infrastructure, they should
automatically get benefit from it. I am also sympathetic to what
he said about minimum levels of support. We are discussing that
with industry at the moment and will come forward with proposals
soon.
Energy Security
(Hendon) (Lab)
4. What steps he is taking to improve energy security.
(900540)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security
and Net Zero ()
The energy shocks of recent years have laid bare the exposure of
our energy system to the international fossil fuel market. That
is why we have started a mission to reach clean power by 2030, to
end that reliance and ensure that the British people never again
go through the sort of cost of living crisis that they have faced
in recent years under the Conservatives.
People across Hendon have paid the price for the previous
Government's failure over the last 14 years to invest in our
energy system. Does the Minister agree that the only way to get
us off the rollercoaster of high bills is to invest at pace and
scale, as the Government are doing through our clean energy
mission?
I completely agree. The only way to permanently protect
hard-working families and businesses from the high energy bills
from which many are still suffering is to get ourselves off our
reliance on the volatile fossil fuel markets. That is why we are
rolling out at pace and at scale the clean power necessary to do
so, which not only gives us energy security but creates good
jobs, brings down bills and helps us to tackle the climate
crisis.
(Ashfield) (Reform)
The Secretary of State will be aware that 25% of the UK is
situated on top of coalmines, which can provide geothermal energy
to heat houses and businesses in places like Ashfield. Will the
Minister meet me to discuss how we can make that work in
coalfield communities?
I very much welcome the hon. Gentleman's question—which I must
say is somewhat of a surprise. I will absolutely meet him to
discuss that. We have been clear that any technologies can be
part of the solution and, if that can be part of the picture, I
will meet him to discuss the options and the technology more
generally.
(Stoke-on-Trent Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
One of the ways in which we can increase energy security is
through community-owned and co-operative energy schemes. They
give greater control to local people, who get a say in where
profits go, and crucially they build resilience from
international energy markets. Will the Minister say a bit more
about where community-owned energy will fit into the energy
security plan?
I thank my hon. Friend for that incredibly important question.
Community energy has so many benefits in our energy mix,
including giving communities a stake in our energy future. We
also know that there are many social and economic benefits that
come from that. We are committed to our local power plan, which
will deliver investment in community-owned projects. Great
British Energy will have a key role to play in supporting
communities, capacity building and in that initial funding to
help them deliver these projects.
Sir (Harwich and North Essex)
(Con)
Could I invite the Minister to meet a cross-party group of MPs
from the east of England to discuss how the review conducted by
the electricity system operator can contribute to energy security
and in particular to look at how undergrounding high voltage
direct current cables could be cheaper in the long term than
pylons and more efficient for achieving net zero? Will he agree
at least to have a meeting with us on that basis?
I am always happy to have meetings with any right hon. and hon.
Members across the House on a range of issues, so I will take
that away. The evidence suggests that undergrounding is five to
10 times more expensive and that actually it can have more of a
damaging impact on nature and natural habitats than pylons. The
important thing with all of this is that this is nationally
important structure, which is necessary for us to get to the
targets that we want to get to. I know that the hon. Gentleman
takes that seriously, and I will meet him and others, but we have
been clear as a Government that we will build this infrastructure
if it is necessary.
Job Creation: Industrial Communities
(Middlesbrough South and East
Cleveland) (Lab)
5. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Great
British Energy on job creation in industrial communities.
(900541)
Mrs (Wolverhampton North
East) (Lab)
22. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Great
British Energy on job creation in industrial communities.
(900559)
The Minister for Industry ()
The Government have two key missions: to become an energy
superpower, and to grow the economy. Great British Energy will
help us deliver on both those missions. The Under-Secretary of
State for Energy Security and Net Zero, my hon. Friend the Member
for Rutherglen (), will be taking the Great
British Energy Bill through Committee today, and I am excited for
the job creation potential in our industrial communities. From
engineers to welders, and from electricians to project managers,
Great British Energy will be powered by people across all the
nations and regions of this great country.
I welcome the Minister's response and last week's fantastic
announcement about track 1 carbon capture investment in Teesside.
Teesside has extraordinary potential for green jobs, whether in
sustainable aviation fuel with Alfanar or in carbon capture,
hydrogen and so much else. Does the Minister agree that only with
Labour's plan for clean power by 2030, Great British Energy and
our national wealth fund can we create well-paid long-term jobs
in the industries of the future?
I agree with my hon. Friend, and I thank him for his support. I
doubt anybody would disagree with him on the benefits of our
announcements on carbon capture and storage, which will create
4,000 jobs in the short term, with carbon capture more broadly
creating up to 50,000 jobs over the next decade or so.
[Interruption.] The Opposition Front Benchers chuckle, but I
wonder whether, instead of dismissing that number of jobs, they
might welcome them alongside Government Members. Alongside carbon
capture, Great British Energy, our national wealth fund and our
British jobs bonus, we are putting in place the levers to
encourage growth across our country, and the Climate Change
Committee estimates that up to 725,000 net new jobs could be
created in low-carbon sectors by 2030.
Mrs Brackenridge
Does the Minister agree that GB Energy is a fantastic opportunity
for Wolverhampton North East to capitalise on the opportunities
for research and start-ups on our forthcoming green innovation
corridor and to put Wolverhampton North East back where we
belong: at the heart of industrial growth and British
industry?
I agree with my hon. Friend: it is a fantastic opportunity.
Publicly owned Great British Energy will partner with industry to
help us to deliver our mission of clean power by 2030. I have
been reading about the green innovation corridor, and I am
interested to see what it will deliver. Working in partnership
with the private sector, we can rebuild jobs across the west
midlands and far beyond.
Mr (Mid Leicestershire)
(Con)
Does the Minister agree with the head of the GMB union that the
Government's plans to ban new licences for oil and gas will
result in exporting jobs and importing virtue?
I agree with the GMB in its warm congratulations for our
announcements yesterday to deliver carbon capture and storage
across the country. We are of course working closely with our
trade union colleagues. It is interesting: in opposition, the
Conservatives suddenly quote the unions, when they refused to
even meet them in government. We work very closely with the GMB
and all our trade unions to ensure that we have a just energy
transition and that we are creating the jobs and skills of the
future by becoming a clean energy superpower.
Energy Social Tariffs
(Oldham East and
Saddleworth) (Lab)
6. What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of
introducing energy social tariffs. (900542)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security
and Net Zero ()
We know that people are worried about their energy bills going
into the winter and that, for a growing number of people, energy
is simply unaffordable. We are absolutely determined to take this
affordability issue and tackle it head on. There are many
different ideas about what a social tariff could look like, and
it means different things to different people. We are clear that
we will tackle the affordability question and look at the full
range of options available to us. But our priority—my
priority—this winter is to ensure that families struggling with
bills have support through our warm home discount scheme, and to
work with energy suppliers to provide support.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her response. I absolutely
recognise that energy prices over the last few years have
escalated, putting particular pressure on households with low
incomes and also those with high energy needs, such as disabled
people and pensioners. I agree that the warm home discount scheme
is valuable, but it is limited and I am concerned for people with
high energy needs but on low incomes, who might fall foul of the
system as it stands.
We have been working flat out with energy suppliers to ensure
that they are providing additional support to families who will
struggle with bills this winter. In August, I met all the
suppliers, and there was a shared commitment to do everything we
can to support vulnerable households. We have been working with
them, the industry body, Ofgem and Citizens Advice to ensure that
there is a proper package of support in place this winter so that
we can support families who we know are struggling with their
bills.
Sir (New Forest West) (Con)
Would it not have been better to put that proper package of
support in place before the Government withdrew the winter fuel
allowance from so many pensioners?
We are having to clean up the mess that the Opposition left us.
Yes, we have means-tested the winter fuel payment, but we have
also been clear that we will do everything we can do to support
vulnerable households. That is why we have extended the take-up
of pension credit and the household support fund, and we are
working flat out with energy suppliers to provide additional
support to all vulnerable households this winter.
(York Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
I thank the Minister for her work. Warm home prescriptions can
target that support towards elderly people and those with
underlying health conditions, saving our NHS as well as keeping
people warm over the winter. The pilot has shown real benefit.
Will she meet me to discuss that and other options to keep old
people warm this winter?
We want to work with anyone who will help us reach vulnerable
households. I am very happy to meet my hon. Friend to look at the
full range of options available.
(Aberdeenshire North and
Moray East) (SNP)
Ofgem's review of standing charges options paper closed for
submissions on 20 September. Can the Minister offer any hope for
bill payers in Scotland that they will stop being penalised with
the highest standing charges on these islands? When will we see
lower charges?
We as a Government are committed to getting down standing
charges. Ofgem has consulted and will report back in due
course.
Warm Homes Plan
(Hexham) (Lab)
7. What steps he is taking to introduce his warm homes plan.
(900543)
(Aylesbury) (Lab)
9. What steps he is taking to introduce his warm homes plan.
(900545)
Dr (Ealing Central and Acton)
(Lab)
19. What steps he is taking to introduce his warm homes plan.
(900556)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security
and Net Zero ()
We are running to deliver our warm homes plan, which will upgrade
homes across the country to make them warmer and cheaper to run.
We will set out the full plan in the spring, but at the heart of
it will be an offer of grants and low-interest loans to support
families to invest in insulation, low-carbon heating and home
improvements. Critically, alongside that, we are committing to
boosting minimum energy efficiency standards for private rented
homes and social housing, to tackle fuel poverty.
I thank the Minister for her answer and for her commitment to the
warm homes plan. I congratulate her on the announcement over the
conference recess to end the scandal of cold, draughty homes in
the rental sector, which particularly affects people in my
constituency in towns such as Haltwhistle, Throckley, Newburn,
Hexham and elsewhere. Does she agree that often the very poorest
in our communities are forced to live in those cold and draughty
properties, and it is important that we cut bills and give those
families energy security?
I agree. One in four households in the private rented sector is
in fuel poverty. We need to bear down on bills. Our commitment to
improve and boost minimum energy efficiency standards will lift 1
million renters out of fuel poverty. We are determined to do this
alongside our bigger package to deliver clean power by 2030,
which will drive down bills for everyone.
People across my constituency are worried about how they will
afford to heat their homes this winter. I was shocked to hear the
former Energy Minister, now shadow Minister, admit that his
Government should have gone “further and faster” on insulating
homes, which will certainly help. Does the Minister agree that
this is an admission of failure by the previous Conservative
Government, who have left working people to pay the price? Can
she reassure my constituents that this Government will do
better?
I completely agree. The legacy left to us by the last Government
was woeful. Ordinary people—families across the country—have paid
the price of that legacy. We are clear that we will do and must
do better. Our warm homes plan will kickstart the upgrades that
we need across the country so that we can deliver warmer homes
that are cleaner to heat.
Dr Huq
Millions of cold, draughty homes need updating UK-wide, so it is
great to hear that there will be a proper plan, rather than the
itty-bitty approach of spraying bits of money here and there. In
the plan, will the Minister look at the fact that there is no
national retrofit advice service in the UK? Can the Government
rectify that? They could take a leaf out of Sadiq Khan's book,
because his service in London has helped 24,000 households.
I agree with my hon. Friend. There is a critical role for
national advice to ensure that people can access support and know
the range of interventions available to them. We will be looking
at that as we look at our warm homes plan. We are very clear that
it will be a comprehensive plan that will deliver the upgrades we
need to see across the country.
Mr (Basildon and Billericay)
(Con)
One of my low-income pensioner constituents had a solar panel
installed on their home through a Government scheme. However,
they are now facing an issue with birds nesting in it, which is
causing a huge amount of problems because the scheme does not
come with protection. Will the Minister agree to meet me about
this constituency issue, because it is really affecting one of my
older constituents who, sadly, has also just lost her winter fuel
payment?
Yes, I will agree to meet to discuss the range of things we can
do.
(North Herefordshire)
(Green)
I very much hope the Secretary of State and his Ministers agree
that if we are serious about energy security and net zero, we
must be serious about energy efficiency. What steps are they
taking, in addition to working on insulating existing homes, to
ensure that the promised 1.5 million new homes are built to net
zero standards, have solar panels on the roof, and are fully
insulated so that every new home is a warm home?
We have an ambitious plan to build more homes. We want those
homes to be fit for the future. We will put out information in
due course on the standards we want across those homes, but we
have an opportunity to do insulation, energy efficiency and homes
that are fit for the future, at the same time as building the
homes we need.
(Bath) (LD)
Local authorities play an important role as trusted sources of
knowledge and expertise, and guide householders, for example, to
trusted installers, but they need the resources to do that. Will
the Department devolve some resources to local authorities to
fulfil that important role?
We see local and regional government playing an absolutely
fundamental role to reach homes that we need to upgrade, but also
to help us deliver the scale of ambition we want. Local and
regional government will be a key part of our warm homes
plan.
Mr Speaker
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
(South Cambridgeshire)
(LD)
Keeping vulnerable people warm and lowering their energy bills
is, I am sure, something we can all agree on across the House.
Insulating homes is a key part of that puzzle. We welcome the
news that we will see the warm homes plan in spring. However,
does the Minister agree that ahead of this winter we need an
emergency home insulation plan, particularly for the vulnerable,
along with allocated funding? Does she have any idea of the
amount and allocation of funding in this Parliament that there
will be for insulating homes?
We are really clear that as we develop our plans we absolutely
need to get on with the job of upgrading homes. We have announced
our warm homes local grant and our warm homes social housing
fund, which are targeted at low-income families, because we know
there is a job of work to do. We are committed to an additional
£6.6 billion to invest in our warm homes plan over the course of
this Parliament.
Workers in High-Carbon Sectors
(Bristol Central) (Green)
10. What steps he is taking to ensure a just transition for
workers in high-carbon sectors. (900546)
The Minister of State, Department for Energy Security and Net
Zero ()
We are committed to accelerating the just transition for workers
in Britain to boost our energy security and ensure good,
long-term jobs, especially in North sea communities. We will work
with them and other industrial regions to develop a plan,
ensuring those workers are the people who decarbonise our
country.
I thank the Minister for her response. Unfortunately, the unjust
transitions we are seeing in Grangemouth and Port Talbot are a
damning indictment of the lack of a proactive approach to a just
transition over the last few years. Tomorrow at the Treasury,
over 50 major unions and climate groups will be calling for a new
approach to the energy transition where, instead of just
de-risking private profit, there is a governmental ringfenced
funding package for North sea oil and gas workers, including help
with skills and job creation. Will the Secretary of State or
Ministers please meet the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ensure
that those ringfenced funds are secure, so that we can stop
betting on the industry to do the right thing?
Last week was the historic week when 142 years of coal-fired
electricity generation came to an end, and this week we have
announced the new era of carbon capture and storage. We will work
in a different way from the last Government, adopting a proactive
approach to ensure that the transition works for people and that
we create new jobs as well. At Grangemouth we provided a package
of support for workers, and at Port Talbot we managed to
negotiate a better deal than the last Government. We will use all
the levers that we have—Great British Energy, the national wealth
fund, the British jobs bonus and the office of green energy jobs
that we have set up—to ensure that we get the transition
right.
(Warrington North)
(Lab)
The Secretary of State and the Minister will know that civil
nuclear has a higher employment multiplier than any other form of
zero or low-carbon energy generation. As part of the transition
from high-carbon sectors, what specific measures are the
Government taking to retrain workers and transfer skills into the
nuclear energy industry, thus ensuring that they benefit from job
creation in this growing sector in my constituency and throughout
the country?
Obviously the last Government did nothing about nuclear in 14
years, apart from coming up with a plan. We will ensure that
nuclear is an important part of our country's future, and we will
be working to provide the right skills and jobs in the right
places to deliver that.
Grid Capacity
(Wells and Mendip Hills)
(LD)
11. What steps he is taking to increase grid capacity(900547)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security
and Net Zero ()
We are halving the development time for new transmission
infrastructure through reforms of planning, supply chains and
other areas, delivering the grid capacity that is needed to
achieve clean power by 2030 and meet a doubling of electricity
demand by 2050.
Communities are doing their very best, and lots of people are
trying to help each community to power itself. My own village has
its community solar project, which was fully funded by local
residents. There are non-profit organisations which have dealt
with local schemes by putting solar panels on schools with an
element of community ownership, and there are individuals who try
but are faced with extortionate costs for connection to the grid.
The grid was really designed for big old power stations rather
than smaller power creators trying to plonk power into the
system. What can the Minister do to encourage National Grid to
pivot, and help communities and individuals to create their
energy nearer to their homes?
The hon. Lady is right to draw attention to the importance of
community energy projects throughout the country. We want to see
many more of them, but we have inherited a grid that needs
significant upgrading, and we are now working apace to ensure
that that happens. Part of the work that I have been doing with
National Grid and others involves trying to identify the next
steps that are needed to shorten the connections queue, and also
to make it more affordable for smaller community projects to
connect. There is an important role for partnership as well, with
some of the bigger renewables projects giving part of their
connections queues to smaller ones, and that is already happening
in some parts of the country. There is no doubt that there is
much more to do, but we are, as I have said, working apace to try
to move this forward after 14 years of inaction.
Mr Speaker
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
(South Cambridgeshire)
(LD)
As we have heard from my hon. Friend the Member for Wells and
Mendip Hills (), the lack of national grid
capacity is holding back the UK's push towards renewable energy.
There are numerous examples of projects that have been delayed
because they are waiting to be connected to the national grid, or
because connection is too expensive. In my constituency, we
cannot even connect the solar panels and batteries for the
ambitious plan to decarbonise and electrify the refuse fleet for
South Cambridgeshire district council. The projects that have
been delayed include the building of new homes, which is crucial
at present. Can the Minister explain to us how we are to reach
this stage on the scale and at the pace that is needed?
The hon. Lady is right to highlight those issues. The connections
queue, in particular, is a huge challenge, with more than 700 GW
waiting to join it. The last Government did some work to
establish how the queue could be prioritised, and we will now
implement that, but we need to go further. It is clear that by
2030 we will need to build four times as much new transmission
network as has been built since 1990. This is a project to rewire
the entire country, to improve the current connections
availability, and to work with everyone, including the new
national energy systems operator, on the road map towards
2030.
Clean Electricity Generation
(Sheffield Central)
(Lab)
12. What steps his Department is taking to increase clean
electricity generation. (900548)
The latest contracts for difference round secured a record 131
renewable electricity projects across Great Britain. This will
deliver a total capacity of 9.6 GW, enough to power the
equivalent of 11 million homes. The Energy Secretary will
continue to work with industry to explore how the contracts for
difference scheme, and other energy policies, can be expanded
even further.
I commend the Secretary of State for his excellent work since he
took office in accelerating clean electricity generation in the
UK, and I commend the fantastic team he has with him. The
Minister is right to say that there is a clean energy imperative
if we are to tackle the climate crisis, boost our energy security
and reduce our bills. What steps has the Minister taken to ensure
that this Government encourage and take advantage of the
significant opportunity around community energy, and will he meet
me and representatives from my constituency of Sheffield Central
to discuss how we can boost the growth of community energy?
I thank my hon. Friend for her question. She is absolutely right
to say that, in order for us to meet our 2030 ambitions, we will
need a whole range of different options. Community energy is a
critical part of that, helping to deliver energy security and
lower bills. Crucially, it also gives communities a stake in the
energy future. That is why one of Great British Energy's five
objectives is to support the delivery of a local power plan,
which puts local communities, combined authorities, local
authorities and others in the driving seat in restructuring our
energy economy. I am happy to meet my hon. Friend and others to
discuss this issue further.
Greg (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)
Contrary to what one of the Ministers said earlier, the last
Government brought about one of the largest revivals in nuclear
energy in 70 years in order to provide clean electricity
generation, yet we hear precious little from the new Government
on their plans for nuclear; we hear only their plans for
inefficient technology that will destroy the countryside. Why are
they so anti-nuclear, and when are they going to get on with
delivering nuclear energy?
I will give credit to the Conservative Government on one thing:
they were very good at making grand announcements. On delivery,
however, they were much poorer. Looking at a whole range of
things—carbon capture being a very good example—they had lots of
warm words but no delivery whatsoever. On nuclear, they had lots
of warm words but no delivery whatsoever. In 14 years, how many
nuclear power stations were built under the Conservative party?
None. We will get on with doing the work.
(Great Grimsby and
Cleethorpes) (Lab)
If we want to see an increase in clean energy generation, we need
more announcements such as the one we saw last week on the
development of carbon capture, usage and storage. Although that
is incredibly welcome and a sign of determined action from the
new Government, there is still more to be done. Perhaps the
Minister can give an indication of when he anticipates he will be
able to announce progress on track 1 extension, and share some
information on track 2, because that would secure thousands of
jobs in the Humber region.
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that in the three and a
bit months that we have been in government we have moved at pace
to deliver the largest renewables auction in history and to make
last week's announcement on carbon capture. We are working
through the next stages of the process at pace, and we will have
further announcements in the weeks ahead.
(Beverley and Holderness)
(Con)
Does the Minister agree that it would be better to have the right
electricity system in 2032 or 2035 than to have the wrong one
because of an artificial target, which may be undeliverable by
2030?
I could be wrong, but I think the right hon. Gentleman previously
said that his own Government's plans on onshore wind in England
were not the right approach to take. I agree with him, which is
why we lifted the onshore wind ban. The reality is that whereas
the previous Government used to talk the talk on climate action,
we are the ones now delivering—and delivering an energy system
fit for the future.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(West Aberdeenshire and
Kincardine) (Con)
One way to increase clean electricity generation in the United
Kingdom would be to invest at pace in new nuclear. We left
government with a clear plan to get to 24 GW of nuclear power by
2050. Does that target remain?
This is the whole point about the Conservative Government, and it
is why we have inherited such an economic mess: they made a
series of announcements, with absolutely no funding to back them
up. As you would expect, Mr Speaker, I pay close attention to the
Conservative party conferences, and the hon. Gentleman made a
very astute point, which I am happy to repeat for the benefit of
Hansard and the House: “After 14 years of Conservative
Government, we are now in a position where it's more difficult to
build critical infrastructure than it was when we came into
power”. I could not have put it better myself.
Our record on nuclear speaks for itself. We launched the small
modular down-selection process and Great British Nuclear, and
invested £200 million in new advanced nuclear fuels. We consulted
on a new route to market for advanced modular reactors and new
technologies, and granted a development consent order for
Sizewell C. There is concern that there is a go-slow in the
Government right now, so when can we expect a final investment
decision on Sizewell C? Will it still be this year?
I was not aware when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State
changed the titles of the ministerial portfolios that we had
moved away from having a Minister for consultation, but it seems
that all the hon. Gentleman was doing in his time in office was
launching consultations. We are going to get on with delivering
and we are moving at pace on the whole of the electricity system,
including on nuclear, and delivering on the things that he failed
to do.
Topical Questions
(Edinburgh North and Leith)
(Lab)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(900561)
The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero ()
As well as our measures on onshore wind, solar and renewables,
this Government have begun legislating for Great British Energy
and setting out our plan for proper standards for private and
social renters to take 1 million families out of fuel poverty,
and on Friday we announced deals to kick-start Britain's carbon
capture industry. All of this will deliver our mission to make
Britain a clean energy superpower. It is right for bills, right
for energy security, right for jobs and right for climate
leadership.
I welcome the actions outlined by my right hon. Friend,
particularly the recent announcement that GB Energy will be
headquartered in Aberdeen, with satellite offices in Edinburgh
and Glasgow. Can he outline the role that he expects the
satellite offices to take? Given the investment already under way
in the port of Leith for a number of renewable companies, as well
as the prospects for the supply chain and manufacturing, will he
consider Leith as the location for the Edinburgh site?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to draw attention to our
announcement on Aberdeen as the headquarters of Great British
Energy and the important role that it will play, and also to the
importance of the satellite offices. I know from my visit to her
constituency of the huge potential of her area on these issues,
and we want to drive jobs throughout the supply chain through
Great British Energy.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
(East Surrey) (Con)
The Secretary of State promised in the general election to cut
everyone's bills by £300 by 2030—a pledge he will not repeat now
that he is in office. In fact, one of his first acts has been to
snatch the same amount away from millions of pensioners in
poverty. The right hon. Gentleman likes to preach, to politicise
and, dare I say it, to patronise, but I have one simple question
for him. To the millions of pensioners who are worried about
their heating bills this Christmas, will he apologise?
The people who should be apologising are the last Government, who
left this country in a total mess—a £22 billion black hole. I
have to say to the right hon. Lady that she does have a brass
neck. She said of the right hon. Member for North West Essex (Mrs
Badenoch), whom she is backing in the leadership contest, that
she “tells the truth”, and what did the right hon. Member for
North West Essex say? She said:
“I have people in my constituency telling me that they don't need
the winter fuel payments…Why do we not have a…mechanism for
means-testing?”
That is her position.
There we have it: no apology; no recognition that it is the right
hon. Gentleman's Government's decisions that are going to leave
pensioners in the cold this winter. He has to acknowledge this:
from the trade unions to the CBI, from blue Labour to Blairites
and from the left to the right of his party, people are sounding
the alarm that his ideological approach will see jobs lost and
bills go through the roof. Even his old pal does not think that GB Energy is going to deliver the
green transition, and I read this morning that the Prime
Minister's brand-new chief of staff is a sceptic of the Secretary
of State's approach. The Secretary of State is increasingly
isolated in his party, so when will he do the decent thing and
set out the full systems cost of his approach, so that the
British public can see what he is going to do to their bills?
Oh dear, oh dear. The truth is that after three months of this
Government, people have breathed a sigh of relief that there is
finally a Government with a plan for the country. [Interruption.]
I think the right hon. Lady should listen to what her own
ministerial team has been saying about her. The former networks
Minister has said that their infrastructure approach is hopeless.
The former Energy Minister says that the onshore wind ban was
“always mad”, and said that the right hon.
Lady had kicked the solar consents “into the long grass”. If I
were her, I would be hoping for just one thing from the next Tory
leader: a shadow Cabinet reshuffle.
(Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
(Lab)
T3. Grid capacity and the slow speed of new connections is a
major issue in west London. It is holding back house building,
and it is holding back businesses exciting new green businesses
such as Allye Energy in my constituency. The Conservatives did
absolutely nothing in 14 years to tackle the issue. What is my
right hon. Friend's strategy, and will he meet me and local
businesses to discuss how we can tackle this issue together and
meet our missions around growth and good clean
energy?(900563)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security
and Net Zero ()
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that that issue is
holding back projects across the country, which is why we have
tackled it from day one. We are attempting to release network
capacity, which can then be reallocated to accelerate the
connection of viable projects. There is a lot of work to do, and
we are building on what the previous Government did to prioritise
the queue and to build the necessary infrastructure that should
have been built over the past 14 years.
Sir John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)
T2. Does the Secretary of State accept that the only way we
will both meet our net zero targets and keep energy bills down is
by pressing ahead with a new generation of nuclear power
stations? Will he therefore accelerate existing projects such as
Hinkley Point and Sizewell C, and press ahead with small modular
reactor and advanced modular reactor technology?(900562)
I agree with the right hon. Gentleman. Nuclear is an essential
part of the energy mix. We are mainly going to have a renewable
system, but nuclear is an essential accompaniment. I fully
support all the projects he mentions.
Alistair Strathern (Hitchin) (Lab)
T4. The previous Minister of State for Energy Security and Net
Zero has admitted that the last Government could have gone
further and faster on insulating homes, but said that he would
wait to see how the new Government tackle the issue. When it
comes to insulating millions more homes across the country and
reducing bills for millions of families, will we simply take a
“wait and see” approach?(900564)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security
and Net Zero ()
Whether it is our ending of the onshore wind ban, the CCUS
funding we announced last week, our plans for Great British
Energy or our warm homes plan, we are hitting the ground running
to deliver our clean power mission. The Conservatives spent 14
years dithering and delaying, leaving ordinary people to pay the
price, but we will get on with the job of delivering energy
security so that we can secure financial security for families,
good jobs and climate action.
(Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
T6. To achieve net zero, we will need widespread micro-generation
alongside large-scale projects. However, as a local farmer who
wanted to install an anaerobic digester told me, grid connections
are both costly and subject to long delays. What does the
Secretary of State plan to do to address these issues,
particularly in rural areas such as my Thornbury and Yate
constituency?(900566)
The hon. Lady raises a question about the problems of grid
connection that is familiar to many Members. We are building on
work done by Nick Winser, the former electricity networks
commissioner, and we want to go further to tackle the problem of
grid connections once and for all.
(East Worthing and Shoreham)
(Lab)
T5. The great turbines of the Rampion wind farm are off my
beautiful coastal constituency. Although the UK has done well on
offshore generation, the jobs in this sector have not always been
here in the UK. What plans do the Government have to expand
offshore wind, and to ensure that UK workers and supply chains
benefit from that expansion?(900565)
The Minister of State, Department for Energy Security and Net
Zero ()
My hon. Friend asks an important question. Of course, we and the
Opposition have fundamentally different views. We believe in an
industrial strategy that will help to deliver our supply chains.
We believe in Great British Energy, and we believe in a sovereign
wealth fund, which so many other countries have and the previous
Government failed to deliver. We will make sure we have resilient
supply chains that create jobs, deliver energy security and
maximise the economic benefits of the transition.
(Bridlington and The
Wolds) (Con)
T7. What guarantees can the Secretary of State give to
steelworkers in Scunthorpe that the grid connection required for
a new electric arc furnace will be ready on time next
year?(900567)
The hon. Gentleman raises a very important issue that I am afraid
was not solved by the last Government. We are working at pace
with National Grid, and I am sure the Under-Secretary of State
for Energy Security and Net Zero, my hon. Friend the Member for
Rutherglen (), will be happy to talk to
him further about the work we are doing.
(Shipley) (Lab)
T9. I welcome the Government's commitment to increasing renewable
energy generation. An important component of that is the
development of associated infrastructure, including battery
storage facilities such as those proposed in Cullingworth in my
constituency. How do the Government plan to ensure that the
safety of residents is not put at risk by such developments, and
that there is clear community benefit from any renewable energy
plans and the associated infrastructure?(900569)
Batteries will play an important part in the short-duration
storage required for the energy system we are building for the
future. It is a question of balance. Communities will be engaged
in the consultation process, and I will be convening a roundtable
with providers of battery technology and other short-duration
storage in the next few months to learn both from projects that
have worked well and from projects on which we could do better in
future. I will happily share any information from that with my
hon. Friend.
(Guildford) (LD)
T8. Will the Secretary of State commit to ensuring that large
energy suppliers work with community energy organisations to
generate and sell electricity locally at discounted rates, and
provide fair community benefits, as proposed by the Liberal
Democrats?(900568)
The hon. Lady raises the important issue that, as a country, we
are massively underpowered on community energy. As part of the GB
Energy local power plan we will be trying to change that,
learning from countries such as Germany and Denmark, which do
much better than us. We will certainly look at the issues she
raises.
(Falkirk) (Lab)
The clean power by 2030 mission shows the clear intention of this
Government to get on with the just transition. Energy workers in
Falkirk, Grangemouth and across the central belt are rightly
concerned about jobs. Between 2013 and 2023, under the previous
Government, jobs in the UK oil and gas sector halved.
Unfortunately, some of the Opposition parties have opposed the
stream of funding for clean infrastructure and jobs of the future
that will come from an increase in the energy profits levy on the
record profits of oil and gas giants. Does the Secretary of State
agree that it is time Opposition parties started putting their
own plans forward on how they would get on with the just
transition and deliver clean energy jobs at a critical time for
workers and the climate?
My hon. Friend raises the important issue that what will define
the future for North sea workers is whether there is a plan for
future jobs in offshore wind, carbon capture and hydrogen. There
was no plan from the previous Government; this Government are
absolutely determined to ensure a just transition for those
workers, using the power of Government and a proper industrial
policy to make it happen.
Dr (Hinckley and Bosworth)
(Con)
On petrol prices, for the past 11 years the Government froze fuel
duty; they cut it in 2002 and then froze it again. The Government
instructed the Competition and Markets Authority to carry out a
review, and we came up with the pumpwatch scheme. A consultation
was undertaken in January, but when I wrote to the Government in
September to ask about its results, they said they were looking
at it and would consider it in due course. Is the scheme a
priority for the Government? If not, in what other ways will they
ensure petrol prices are kept low at the pump? Are they going to
freeze fuel duty?
I will not comment on the Budget, obviously. We are very
sympathetic to pumpwatch—it is important that there is a fair
deal for consumers at the pump.
(Exeter) (Lab)
Exeter city council has worked hard to install solar panels on
council homes to ensure that social tenants can benefit from
lower bills and participate in the green transition. Can the
Minister set out what more we can do to ensure that all tenants
benefit from new green technologies?
My hon. Friend raises such an important issue. Across the House,
we can have different views on ground-mounted solar, but we need
to do more on rooftops and to ensure that tenants, for example
council tenants, benefit from such technologies. That is a huge
priority for us and we are working on it with colleagues in the
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Mr (East Londonderry)
(DUP)
What discussions has the Secretary of State had with the Scottish
Government regarding the major planning application for an
offshore wind farm between Scotland and Northern Ireland, which
may well have significant implications for the Giant's Causeway
world heritage site?
The hon. Gentleman will understand that I have to be careful in
what I say about planning issues, but he should rest assured that
I have frequent conversations with my counterpart in the Scottish
Government and, no doubt, that is one issue we will be
discussing.
(Warwick and Leamington)
(Lab)
Warwick and Leamington must be one of the sunniest places in the
United Kingdom given the flurry of applications we have had for
solar farms. There is a “loss of amenity” caused by one
application, but if that community were prepared to welcome
onshore wind turbines, of which we have none in Warwickshire,
rather than a solar farm, would the Secretary of State or the
Minister agree to support that? Will they meet me to discuss the
issue?
Every planning application and development consent order is
assessed on its merits. Importantly, the Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the
Member for Streatham and Croydon North (), is polishing a land use
framework, which has long been needed in this country. It will
set out the balance between food security, the use of renewable
energy, the restoration of nature and the role of farming. I hope
that will help with some of the issues that hon. Members are
facing.
(Witham) (Con)
The Secretary of State and the Under-Secretary of State, the hon.
Member for Rutherglen (), have spoken passionately
about the need to upgrade the national grid, but do they
recognise the concerns of people across the east of England,
including in the Witham constituency, about what that means for
their local communities? The Under-Secretary has said that he
will meet Members of Parliament, but I ask him very politely
whether he and representatives and Ministers from the Department
will also meet members of the communities that are affected by
this matter.
I know from the questions that I have received from the
Opposition that the right hon. Lady has been a tireless advocate
on these issues. I do understand the concerns of local
communities about clean energy infrastructure, which is why I am
so keen on the idea of community benefit. It is important that
communities receive benefit for hosting that infrastructure. We
must have a discussion about this matter in the House and across
the country. If we are to end our exposure to international
fossil fuels and the kind of the cost of living crisis that we
have seen over the past few years, which has devastated
communities across Britain, this infrastructure does need to be
built.
(Runcorn and Helsby)
(Lab)
Last week's announcement on carbon capture and hydrogen in my
constituency demonstrates that we now have a Government of
substance, not of hollow slogans. What discussions have the
Secretary of State and Ministers had with the trade unions to
ensure that we build those facilities with unionised labour?
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. After 14 years of
failure and inaction, we now have a Government who believe in
working with our trade unions, who have the backing of our trade
unions, and who want to work to create good jobs in the
industries of the future. Our announcement on carbon capture,
which was groundbreaking and world beating, will deliver just
that.
(Harrogate and Knaresborough)
(LD)
The Institution of Civil Engineers has called for a spatial
energy plan to utilise new and emerging technologies to
facilitate future net zero infrastructure planning. Will the
Government look to bring forward a spatial energy plan and meet
me to discuss that?
Yes, we will be bringing forward a spatial energy plan. That is
one of the responsibilities of the National Energy System
Operator. The hon. Gentleman makes an important point: we need a
plan for the system. We can have a plan for the 2030 system done
by the NESO and, indeed, a wider strategic spatial energy plan,
which will be crucial for the country.
(Burnley) (Lab/Co-op)
The warm homes plan is excellent and much needed in towns such as
mine, but on warm homes grants for insulation, during recess I
met a large number of constituents who had been victims of failed
insulation and cowboy workmanship under such Government schemes.
Some are living in horrific conditions with useless warranties.
Is the Minister aware of their plight? Will she ensure that
regulation is strong enough, and will she meet me and victims to
make sure that this never happens again?
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. We are aware of those
cases of bad insulation and we are clear that we need to get a
firmer grip on them. To persuade everyone that we should be
insulating and upgrading all of our homes, we need the highest
standard possible. I agree to meet him to discuss this matter
further.
(Wokingham) (LD)
In my constituency, a new solar farm at Barkham is being
delivered that will provide clean energy for more than 4,000
homes and provide a funding boost for Wokingham borough council.
It will be connected in 2026, but there were concerns that
connection to the grid could be delayed by 11 years. What steps
will the Minister take to reduce similar delays, and does he
think that the Government can meet their net zero targets if the
new renewable energy infrastructure cannot be quickly connected
to the grid?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. A similar point has
been raised by many hon. Members across the House. This issue
affects areas right across the country. We are doing what we can
at the moment to prioritise the connections queue, so that the
most important projects, or those most able to be delivered, can
move forward. There is much more that we can do on that, but,
fundamentally, we need to build much more network infrastructure
in the first place so that we can speed up and reduce the cost of
these connections for schemes such as the one he mentions.
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