MP, Secretary of State for
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy today gave evidence to
the BEIS Select Committee on the work the department
.
The subject of net zero was raised by , who asked when the
government would provide a comprehensive target to put the UK on
track to deliver by 2050. Ms Leadsom said the pathway to net zero
was one of her department's key priorities. It was her intention
to set that pathway out in good time before hosting COP26 next
year.
She disagreed with who said there was no mention
of net zero in the Queen's Speech. She said the pathway depended
on deciding the best course of action. The energy white paper
would be published in the first quarter of 2020. She confirmed
there would be milestones which would give certainty to private
investment.
Mr Kerr was disappointed that in the Spending Review there was
only £30 million set aside for decarbonisation. Ms Leadsom
explained that that was specifically to meet the costs, including
staff costs, of producing the policy work to meet the challenge.
About £2 billion of commitments had already been made to achieve
net zero by 2050.
The national infrastructure strategy would also be published
"within the next few months." The Chancellor would say more at
the Budget.
asked what would be included in
the energy white paper. Ms Leadsom said it would be wide-ranging,
but would roughly, in broad terms, be a third power generation, a
third transport decarbonisation and a third heating
decarbonisation.
She was very optimistic about the future of the nuclear fusion
industry in the UK, although it would not be included in the 2050
target because results would be felt in the longer-term.
asked about how the 2050
target would be met. Ms Leadsom said the Transport Secretary
would be setting out "within the next few months" the
government's plans for phasing out petrol and diesel. It was
essential that targets were achievable.
Replying to Mr Hendry on investment in CCUS, the Secretary of
State said deployment could not fully happen until the mid-2020s.
It was very likely there would be industrial clusters. The way
CCUS would be measured would be set out in the energy white
paper.
Responding to a request to do so by , Ms Leadsom welcomed the
citizens assemblies and pointed out that Green GB Week would take
place in the first quarter of next year.
asked for a commitment to tidal
power to be included in the white paper. Ms Leadsom said the
government was open-minded on the balance of affordability,
energy security and meeting the net zero ambitions.
She said she was pressing for cross-departmental and Cabinet
committees to be set up on net zero.
Replying to , she gave an assurance that
the UK would not have lower environmental standards as a result
of leaving the EU.
Steven Kerr asked about smart meters; the government's response
to the Taylor review on modern working practises, on which
proposals would be brought forward in 2020 Q1; protections for
workers' rights; and a consumer white paper, also in 2020 Q1.
Replying to , Ms Leadsom said hydrogen would
play an important tool in the government's decarbonisation
ambitions. Alex Chisholm, DBEIS Permanent Secretary, added there
was excitement about the potential for hydrogen and some green
hydrogen projects were already being funded.
In the first half of the meeting, committee chairman focussed her questions on
Thomas Cook. and asked about business readiness
for Brexit. asked about advice and support
for small businesses and asked about the business
readiness fund.
The full transcript of the committee meeting will be sent
when it is available.
