Online Scams
(Richmond Park) (LD)
What guidance his Department issues to (a) retailers and (b)
consumers to help raise awareness of the threat of online scams.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
Having worked in the retail sector for a number of years, I
sympathise with consumers who have been targeted by these
dreadful scams. Guidance for businesses on how to spot and avoid
getting caught out by scams is available on Business Companion
and the Businesses Against Scams website; consumer advice is
available on the Citizens Advice website. All of these are funded
by Government.
The reported rise in remote banking fraud poses considerable
concern to small and medium-sized enterprises, which are
increasingly accessing online business banking services owing to
the closure of high street banks in many of our communities. What
steps is the Minister taking to ensure that SMEs are well
equipped to navigate online banking and, by extension, recognise
fraudulent activity?
Businesses and consumers all fall victim to these scams, so it is
important that they have an awareness of all online scams. They
can report matters to Action Fraud; consumers can also go to the
Citizens Advice scams action helpline.
GKN Automotive: Birmingham Plant
(City of
Chester) (Lab)
What recent discussions he has had with representatives of GKN
Automotive on the viability of its factory in Birmingham being
used as part of the national infrastructure for electric
vehicles.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
My noble Friend the Minister for Investment met representatives
of GKN Automotive on 21 May. GKN committed to considering all the
viable alternatives to closure, including repurposing the
Birmingham plant to produce parts for electrical vehicles, but it
concluded that that was not commercially viable. The Government
stand ready to assist the workers at this difficult time. I add
that Nissan’s recent announcement shows that we are actively
supporting UK electric vehicle production and supply chain
growth.
In April, in a Westminster Hall debate, the Minister said:
“The Government are committed to doing what we can to save
those…jobs”
of the 519 GKN workers, including through
“investments in capital equipment or in the skills needed to
secure future vehicle technology.”—[Official Report, 28 April
2021; Vol. 693, c. 128-129WH.]
Those commitments were warmly welcomed. Does she understand that
if the site on Chester Road closes with 519 job losses, it will
be a hammer blow to the families of those workers, but also to
the UK automotive sector at a time when we need to be powering
ahead with electric vehicle technology?
The hon. Member makes a really important point. He will know that
I have every sympathy with GKN; he will also know that we have
been having ongoing conversations recently. However, it is really
a difficult situation. The Department for Work and Pensions and
Jobcentre Plus work coaches will provide bespoke advice and
guidance. In addition, the West Midlands Combined Authority and
the Greater Birmingham and Solihull local enterprise partnership
have several programmes that can support GKN employees to reskill
for a new job or help them to start their own business.
Marine Renewables Sector
(Preseli
Pembrokeshire) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to support the marine
renewables sector.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
Since 2003, various bodies across Government have provided
innovation funding of £175 million to the wave and tidal sectors.
Projects remain eligible to compete in contract for difference
auctions. We have also set a target of 1 GW by 2030 for floating
offshore wind to stimulate investment. We are currently assessing
the contribution of tidal stream, wave power and tidal range
generation, following the call for evidence last September.
As my right hon. Friend knows, and as I hope she will see if she
visits Pembrokeshire, my constituency is emerging as an important
hub for marine energy, but technologies such as tidal stream need
the same revenue support that we gave to solar and wind to unlock
private investment and reduce costs over time. To that end, will
she assure us that the parameters of the CfD auction round later
this year will be set to ensure that new tidal stream and other
marine renewable projects can be developed?
I agree that there is significant potential for these new marine
technologies. Recent market engagement carried out by the Crown
Estate showed a high level of market appetite to develop more
projects in the area, which is very encouraging. We will set out
the details of the new technology as part of CfD round 4 in the
autumn, so I hope that my right hon. Friend can wait that long.
In the meantime, I look forward to being able to visit
Pembrokeshire to meet him with businesses and those in the
community who are keen to progress these projects.
Energy Production and Efficiency
(Kettering)
(Con)
If he will take steps to increase (a) renewable energy production
and (b) energy efficiency in the UK.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
In December, the Government aim to deliver our biggest auction
yet for new renewables, through the contracts for difference
scheme. We aim to launch the green heat network fund in April
next year. The Government are also committed to investing £9
billion in improving the energy efficiency of our buildings while
creating thousands of green skilled jobs.
Mr Hollobone
With some 30 major wind turbines and several solar farms, the
Kettering constituency is doing its bit for renewable energy.
Last year, how much renewable electricity was produced in
Kettering? How many homes would it power?
As at the end of December 2019, the east midlands region produced
more than 5,500 GW of electricity from renewable resources,
including nearly 1,600 GW from offshore wind. To break that down,
1,534 of the 88,000 renewable electricity installations were in
the Kettering constituency, including photovoltaic, onshore wind,
anaerobic digestion, landfill gas and plant biomass. This is
generating 173 GW, or enough power to power 45,000 homes.
Minimum Wage Non-compliance
(Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough) (Lab)
What steps he is taking to tackle minimum wage non-compliance in
the labour market.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that anyone
entitled to be paid the minimum wage receives it. Since 2015, we
have more than doubled the enforcement budget to almost £30
million and ordered employers to repay £100 million to 1 million
workers.
The Low Pay Commission has called on the Government to recruit a
new director of labour market enforcement as an urgent priority,
but the Government have dragged their feet for almost a half the
year while claims are falling and waiting times are rising. Can
the Minister inform the House when that vital post will be
filled? And “in due course” simply does not cut it.
Cracking down on non-compliance in the labour market is a
priority for the Government, and the new director of labour
market enforcement will be appointed as soon as possible, but the
temporary vacancy has no impact on workers’ rights. The three
enforcement bodies themselves are responsible for overall work
and enforcement responsibilities, and they will continue to work
hard to protect workers and bring enforcement actions against
employers who break the rules.
Levelling-up Agenda
(Bolton North
East) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to support the Government’s
levelling-up agenda.
(Darlington) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to support the Government’s
levelling- up agenda.
(Rother
Valley) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to support the Government’s
levelling- up agenda.
(Dewsbury) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to support the Government’s
levelling- up agenda.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
We have made a commitment to level up all areas of the country.
The plan for growth is a critical part of this and we will go
further with the publication of a levelling-up White Paper later
this year.
[V]
I wrote to the Minister outlining Bolton’s bid to be the home of
the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, featuring the full
support of the vice-chancellors of the University of Bolton and
the University of Manchester, along with Innovation GM and a
wider coalition. I am sure that even my neighbour but one, the
Speaker, would find it difficult to resist Bolton’s attraction.
We have kindly received a response from the Minister, and now
that the advert for the ARIA chair has gone live, will she tell
us when she would like to visit Bolton to support us in our
ambition to reinvent Britain’s biggest town in line with the
Government’s levelling-up agenda?
My hon. Friend paints a fantastic picture of Bolton North East.
He really is a wonderful advocate for his constituency, and he
has a keen interest in ARIA, which I am delighted by. No decision
has yet been taken on ARIA’s location, and I do not expect one to
be reached until the chief executive officer and the chair are in
post, but my hon. Friend will be delighted to hear that the open
recruitment process for a visionary chair began yesterday, and I
would encourage him and other hon. Members to share this exciting
opportunity widely to reach as diverse a pool of candidates as we
possibly can.
Whether it involves investing £105 million in Bank Top station,
investing £23.3 million through the towns fund or establishing a
new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
presence in Darlington, this Conservative Government are
delivering on their manifesto commitment to level up. Does my
hon. Friend agree that it is therefore short-sighted of LNER to
propose to cut services to Darlington?
I am glad that my hon. Friend recognises the work that the
Government have done to support investment in the town, and I
know that the Department for Transport and LNER appreciate his
desire to ensure that his community continues to be well served
by rail services across the north. His comments and those of his
colleagues are exactly the level of detail that the consultation
is looking to elicit, and it is important that the industry
understands the strength of the business case, so I would urge
him to continue to engage with the consultation process.
Mr Speaker
We now go to . Not
here. Let’s go to , who is here.
I am pleased that my hon. Friend the Member for Penistone and
Stocksbridge () and I have put
forward a £48 million joint levelling-up fund bid to support
improvements to the Penistone line, which runs through our
constituencies. Will the Minister agree to work with the
Department for Transport and the Treasury in supporting this bid,
which, if successful, would help to boost local businesses and
bring much-needed jobs to my constituency, especially in
Kirkburton and Denby Dale?
My hon. Friend has been a tireless advocate for his constituency,
most notably in his advocacy of the Dewsbury town deal. As he
will know, the support of MPs is important for bids to the
levelling-up fund, but he will understand that I cannot go
further than that while the bids are being evaluated.
(Aberdeen South) (SNP)
Today marks 33 years since the Piper Alpha disaster, when 167
lives were lost and many more oil workers were injured. The
trauma reverberates right across Aberdeen to this day, and I
would like to pass on my thoughts to the friends and families of
all those involved in that awful, awful tragedy.
We have heard three questions from Conservative Members and had
three answers from the Minister, but we have not had a single
mention of the fact that rather than being a Government who are
levelling up, they are cutting back. Just last week we have seen
furlough support sliced away from businesses, many of which have
been unable to open or operate since the start of this pandemic.
Many of them will also now be paying back covid loans, despite of
course never being able to bounce back. So may I ask the
Minister: how does pulling funding away from businesses help
communities to level up?
I would like to add my thoughts to those expressed by the hon.
Gentleman about the Piper Alpha disaster. Across government, we
are investing in Scotland through a number of routes, including
the United Kingdom community renewal fund, the levelling-up fund
and the future UK shared prosperity fund, to name but a few. For
example, at the Budget we confirmed £27 million for the Aberdeen
energy transition zone, in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency,
which is helping to support north-east Scotland to play a leading
role in meeting our net zero ambitions.
I do not think the Minister actually answered my question, but
let us look at another aspect of the levelling-up prospectus:
freeports. The Scottish Government have been clear that they want
freeports to have a green agenda and to have fair work and net
zero at their core, but just last week the UK Government told us
that they will ignore that green port prospectus and will instead
seek to enforce their will on the Scottish Parliament and the
Scottish people. So may I ask the Minister: when did levelling up
become less about empowerment and more about dragging powers from
Scotland back to London?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for the question. This Government are
committed to the levelling-up process, and we have made it
incredibly clear that that is what we are going to do. We will
have a levelling-up White Paper, which is to be issued in the
autumn. We are ensuring that we are levelling up throughout the
whole of the United Kingdom.
(Cynon Valley) (Lab) [V]
The UK Government talk about levelling up former coalfield
communities such as those in my constituency, yet at the same
time they have profited by billions of pounds from the
mineworkers’ pension scheme since its privatisation in 1994. That
money could be going to miners and their families, many of whom
are experiencing hardship and are struggling to make ends meet.
The Government’s announcement yesterday not to implement the
recommendations of the cross-party Select Committee on Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy to redress this injustice was met
with dismay and was described as a “slap in the face”. Will the
Minister agree to review that decision and implement the BEIS
Committee recommendations in full?
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
The hon. Lady will know that I have sent my reply in to the BEIS
Committee, but I also had a very constructive meeting with a
number of the trustees just a few weeks ago and we have agreed to
continue. I have left them with some questions that they must go
to talk to the rest of the trustees about, and my door continues
to be open for them to bring back propositions if they want to
continue to discuss this.
Net Zero Strategy: Publication
(Wimbledon) (Con)
If his Department will publish its net zero strategy before the
2021 summer recess.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
We will publish our comprehensive net zero strategy ahead of
COP26. It will set out the Government’s vision and how we will
meet our ambitious goals as we transition to net zero emissions
by 2050.
[V]
I thank my right hon. Friend for her response. She will know that
many infrastructure institutions, including the Institution of
Civil Engineers, have called on the Government to deliver a
system-wide plan for transitioning the UK infrastructure. Will
she confirm that when she publishes the strategy in the autumn—I
take that from her response—it will provide the policy certainty
for infrastructure and the supply chain so that there is
investment and we can ensure that the necessary initiatives are
put in place to enable the Government’s aim of net zero to be
achieved?
The net zero strategy will include a focus on how better to embed
net zero as a key consideration across all Government activity.
Furthermore, infrastructure will play a crucial role in the
transition to net zero, and our policies and approach will
reflect that. The net zero strategy will continue to build on
policies that we have already announced, such as the £1 billion
carbon capture and storage infrastructure fund and the £240
million net zero hydrogen fund. We are also supporting underlying
investment decisions to mobilise private finance. The national
infrastructure bank announced in the Budget will have £12 billion
of capital and be able to deploy £10 billion of Government
guarantees.
(Greenwich and Woolwich) (Lab)
The 2021 progress report published by the Climate Change
Committee last month stated:
“A pattern has emerged of Government strategies that are later
than planned and, when they do emerge, short of the required
policy ambition.”
Despite the committee’s characteristic politeness, that is a
damning critique from the Government’s own climate advisers. I
take it from the Minister’s previous answer that the House has
this morning been given a cast-iron guarantee that a net zero
strategy will be published well in advance of COP26; will she
confirm that that is the case? Does she recognise that the
credibility of such a strategy is predicated on a substantive
Treasury net zero review that sets out precisely how the benefits
and burdens of the transition will be shared fairly?
Of the 92 recommendations made by the Climate Change Committee in
its 2020 progress report, 40 have been achieved or partly
achieved and another 32 are under way, meaning that progress has
been made against more than 75% of the recommendations. Our
forthcoming strategies—including on hydrogen and transport and
our comprehensive net zero strategy—will set out more of the
policies that the committee calls for in its recommendations. I
clearly cannot speak for the Treasury, which will publish its own
review, but I know that that is also very well advanced.
Nuclear Sector: Skills
(Calder
Valley) (Con)
What plans he has to help ensure that skills in the nuclear
sector are maintained between the building of new power plants.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
The Government confirmed our commitment in the energy White Paper
to more nuclear power after Hinkley Point C, and we are currently
negotiating for Sizewell C. That is a great example of the bright
future ahead for our skilled nuclear workforce.
[V]
Gathering the skills and expertise for building new nuclear power
stations in the UK has been a mammoth task and a considerable
expense to many companies because no nuclear has been built in
the UK for many decades. Can my right hon. Friend give some
assurance to the tens of thousands of employees who are worried
about their jobs as contracts on Hinkley Point come to an end and
there is potentially a lengthy gap before the funding model for
Sizewell C is agreed?
My hon. Friend is right that there was a long gap in respect of
investment in UK, but I am pleased that the Prime Minister’s
leadership has reset that. We are working closely with industry
and the skills bodies to make sure that as we grow our nuclear
industry again, we better understand the skills requirements and
challenges faced by the industry. EDF’s latest estimate suggests
that the number of people working on the Hinkley project will
peak at around 8,500. That is a fantastic local employment story
and, given EDF’s plans to replicate HPC at its next project,
Sizewell C in Suffolk, we expect to see employment benefits
transfer to that project, creating thousands of jobs in that
local area.
AQUIND Energy Interconnector
(Portsmouth South) (Lab)
When he plans to make a decision on the proposed AQUIND energy
interconnector project.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy has until 8 September 2021 to take his decision on
whether or not to grant development consent for the proposal.
I have long represented Portsmouth’s opposition to AQUIND, which
would cause untold disruption to our communities and no clear
benefits to my city. There are serious concerns about the
company, its murky financing and the influence that its leaders
have over Ministers who are responsible for giving the project
the go-ahead. Last weekend, I launched a petition to give a real
voice to local people who are opposed to the development. With no
Secretary of State present today, will the Minister listen to the
weight of concerns from my constituents and reject the damaging
and suspicious proposals?
Local communities have had the opportunity to raise concerns
during the examination undertaken by the Planning Inspectorate.
The Secretary of State will consider all relevant matters—I will
ensure that I pass on the hon. Gentleman’s message—when he takes
a decision, but as it is a live planning application I cannot
comment further.
(Southampton, Test) (Lab)
Is the Minister aware that we are talking about a company that,
as its sole activity, is proposing to build an interconnector
with France, that has attempted to get itself exempted from all
the rules governing interconnectors, and that is now
extraordinarily seeking Government backing to trash parts of
Portsmouth to land its cable? Throughout all of this, it has
never traded and is completely reliant for its existence on loans
from unnamed overseas companies. But it has been active as a
company in one other area: giving huge donations to the
Conservative party and a number of its MPs to the tune of £1.1
million, either from the company itself or through the good
offices of its part-owner. Now, perhaps in return, it wants the
Government to support its rackety scheme through the Secretary of
State’s personally approving its planning application. This whole
thing stinks. I ask Ministers to call a halt to this seedy
enterprise and certainly not endorse its wild and inappropriate
planning proposals.
As previously stated, the Secretary of State for BEIS will have
until 8 September 2021 to take his decision on whether to grant
development consent on this proposal.
Steel Industry
(Aberavon) (Lab)
What steps his Department is taking to help support (a) the steel
industry and (b) steelworkers.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
I thank the hon. Member for raising this important topic again
after engaging in a recent Westminster Hall debate, and I know
how passionately he cares about this subject. I know, too, that
he will have welcomed the Government’s action on trade safeguards
to protect our steel sector and jobs. We are also working closely
with the Steel Council, reformed by the Secretary of State, on
important matters such as decarbonisation, a sustainable future
and procurement.
For as long as anyone can remember, steel MPs, trade unions and
employers have been urging the Government to do something about
industrial energy costs, and yet our steelworkers still face
prices that are 86% higher than their French competitors, and
that is after the Government’s compensation scheme has been
factored in. With Ofgem planning to hike network charges even
higher, what action is the Minister taking to block this
potential hammer blow and to enable our steelworkers to compete
on a level playing field?
Since 2013, we have provided more than £500 million in relief to
the steel sector. On 14 June, we published a consultation on the
future of the compensation schemes, which will close on 9 August.
Network charging, however, is a matter for Ofgem as the
independent regulator, and decisions on its targeted charging
review are for it to make. Government continue to engage with
Ofgem to inform our understanding of the reform’s policy
implications.
Gig Economy Workers
(Streatham) (Lab)
What recent steps he has taken to help improve employment rights
and protections for gig economy workers.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
The recent Uber Supreme Court judgment upheld the law that those
who qualify as workers in the gig economy are entitled to the
same employment rights and protections as workers in other parts
of the economy. The Government have one of the best records on
employment rights in the world, and we have just increased wages
again for the UK’s lowest paid workers.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy[V]
According to the McKinsey Global Institute, 5 million people in
the UK work in the gig economy, which is around 15.6% of the UK’s
total full and part-time workforce. That is 5 million people
without legal rights to statutory sick pay, holiday pay,
redundancy pay, maternity leave or minimum wage. February’s
Supreme Court ruling in favour of Uber drivers was a momentous
step forward for gig economy workers. In the same month, however,
the Minister for Small Business, Labour Markets and Consumers
refused to back Labour’s call to enshrine this in law, so I ask
the Minister again for the sake of the millions of gig economy
workers, will the Government finally step up and enshrine the
rights of gig economy workers in law ?
Employment law is clear that an individual’s employment rights
are determined by their employment status, which in turn is
determined by the detail of their working arrangement. Government
actively encourage businesses to ensure that they are adhering to
their legal obligations and that individuals are treated fairly
and in accordance with the law.
High Street Businesses
(Luton South) (Lab)
What steps he is taking to support high street businesses.
(Ilford
South) (Lab)
What steps he is taking to support high street businesses.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
Our comprehensive economic response to business is worth more
than £352 billion, including grants, the furlough scheme, tax
deferrals, and business rates relief. We have extended the
protection of commercial tenants from eviction and debt
enforcement due to non-payment of rent until 25 March 2022.
Businesses in Luton South, whether they are in the town centre,
Bury Park or High Town, have told me that additional support is
required to safeguard their future and local jobs. Small
businesses need Government to bring forward a plan to support
them as we recover, particularly those that have had to take out
loans to pay their rent. Does the Minister recognise that a
proper debt restructuring plan will be vital in alleviating the
burden of debt and in helping small businesses get back on their
feet?
It is important, yes, that first we reopen. I am glad that the
Prime Minister is making encouraging signs regarding 19 July, so
that small businesses in particular can welcome back customers
and start to recover; that helps get into the recovery. We will
continue to flex and extend our support for those businesses.
Much of that support extends to September and beyond.
Businesses in Ilford represented by Ilford business improvement
district have been damaged so severely by the pandemic, often
closing or finding their revenues down to about 30% of what they
were pre pandemic. Many of those businesses now have significant
debts and rent arrears. I would like to know, as would businesses
in Ilford, what plans the Minister has to support the thousands
of businesses struggling to pay their rent.
I have talked about reopening and recovery. We need to build back
better and build resilience into our high streets and the
ecosystems that make our communities. We have extended the
moratorium on rents until next year so that we can legislate to
encourage proper conversations between landlords and tenants. We
are also reviewing the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.
(Feltham and Heston) (Lab/Co-op)
Many businesses on our high streets face financing their
reopening in July while dealing with quarterly rents, emergency
loan repayments, business rates and VAT deferrals, all while
furlough support is being withdrawn. UKHospitality has now warned
that the sector faces coming out of lockdown with more than £6
billion of Government debt. Not all sectors are going to bounce
back overnight; they need a Government who are on their side at
this crucial time. Does the Minister think it is fair for
hospitality businesses to pay a £100 million business rates bill
from 1 July? Why do the Government not extend the relief period,
as the Labour-led Welsh Government have done, and what
discussions is he now having on the root-and-branch reform of
business rates to allow the reintegration of the high street that
was promised in the Conservatives’ 2015 manifesto but has still
not been delivered?
Different businesses and sectors have different views on
furlough. UKHospitality is explaining that furlough is starting
to become a problem, while other sectors want it extended
further. On business rates and other support, the Chancellor
deliberately went long in his Budget; he erred on the side of
generosity. It was always about data, not dates, so that was
always going to be flexible. The fundamental business rates
review that we are conducting will report back this autumn.
UK Research and Development
(Bolton
West) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to support UK research and
development.
(Sedgefield) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to support UK research and
development.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
The Prime Minister has reasserted our commitment to restoring the
UK as a science superpower and to increasing Government
investment in R&D to £22 billion. We continue to make
progress on the R&D road map and are planning to publish the
R&D people and culture strategy alongside the innovation
strategy in the coming weeks.
The life sciences ecosystem is incredibly interdependent and
clinical trials are a key part of it. Will my hon. Friend join me
in meeting key stakeholders to discuss how we can maintain our
position as a world leader?
Our ambition for clinical research is for a world-leading
clinical research environment that capitalises on innovation, is
resilient in the face of future healthcare challenges and
improves the life of patients UK-wide. I would be happy to meet
my hon. Friend to discuss that ambition.
At North East Technology Park in Sedgefield, we have a hub of
innovation-led businesses from space to defence, including
companies such as Filtronic and Kromek, which are already
established; many smaller ones such as Evince and PragmatIC,
which are redefining the semiconductor space; and the North East
Satellite Applications Centre of Excellence, which is operated by
Business Durham. Does the Minister agree that places such as
NETPark, with embryonic ecosystems already in place, can be the
foundation stones of building back better and levelling up, and
will she come and see for herself this amazing asset of the
north-east?
NETPark is an excellent example of how science parks bring
together talented communities to turn ideas into global
successes. As home to the two of the UK’s Catapult centres,
NETPark is playing a vital role in helping us to build back
better across the United Kingdom. I would be delighted to visit
not just NETPark but the wider north-east, to see how the region
is capitalising on its innovation and technology strengths in
order to support its local economy and communities. I know that
my hon. Friend enjoyed his visit there so much that he went back
week after week.
(Newcastle
upon Tyne Central) (Lab)
On Friday I visited Newcastle University’s dementia research
centre and spoke to the wonderful scientists striving to cure
this terrible affliction. But I also heard of the desperate
conditions that early career researchers face, with Government
funding commitments abandoned; grants ending as covid devastates
medical research charities excluded from Government support;
institutes closed as the Government’s international development
funding is slashed; and post-docs eking out funding from project
to project with no job security, working two jobs at once or
working for free, and unable to apply for funding in their own
name—and the most disadvantaged are hardest hit. How can the
Minister say that she is supporting science when she is throwing
the next generation of scientists to the wolves?
I always appreciate the hon. Member’s candid questions. She will
know that we have been working on the people and culture
strategy, which very much takes into account early career
research, career progression and all the important things that we
need to consider to ensure that our R&D system is really
allowed to thrive and flourish. In May we announced funding of
£50 million from BEIS, together with a £5 million fund from the
Department of Health and Social Care, to support early career
researchers, supported by charities, helping to protect the
pipeline of research superstars who will have a fantastic impact
in improving patients’ lives in future.
Oil and Gas: Net Zero by 2050
(Brighton, Pavilion) (Green)
What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies
on oil and gas of the International Energy Agency’s energy
scenario aligned with the 1.5° C goal of the Paris agreement,
outlined in the report “Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the
Global Energy Sector”.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
The independent Climate Change Committee agrees that the UK will
need oil and gas as we deliver net zero by 2050. No other
significant oil and gas producing nation matches the UK’s action
on hydrocarbons in the economy, while our withdrawal of support
for international fossil fuels, our North sea transition deal and
our new checkpoint for licensing provide a global exemplar. Our
climate compatibility checkpoint will also operate from 2022. Any
reduction in domestic production would be replaced by increased
imports.
[V]
The International Energy Agency’s report is clear that there can
be no new investment in fossil fuel projects if the world is to
meet its climate targets, yet the Government are set to approve
the Cambo oilfield, which, thanks to a loophole, will not even be
subject to its derisory climate checkpoint because the original
licence was granted over a decade ago. Is it really the
Minister’s understanding that this new North sea oil project will
not add to global heating because of the date on the original
licence? Will the Government think again about approving this oil
project when they are meant to be showing local leadership ahead
of COP26, or, as with the Cumbria coalmine, are they waiting for
the US climate envoy to intervene instead?
The checkpoint will apply to all future licence rounds. Those
projects already licensed are already accounted for in our
projections for future oil and gas production. Projects such as
Cambo are already licensed and are going through normal
regulatory processes. Estimated emissions from all the existing
licences are already accounted for in our forward projections.
Solar Energy
(Dulwich and West Norwood) (Lab)
What plans his Department has to help support the growth of solar
energy in the UK.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
Solar is key to the Government’s strategy for low-cost
decarbonisation of the energy sector, and we will need sustained
growth in capacity over the next decade as we move to net zero.
It already accounts for 28% of installed renewable capacity in
the UK. Large-scale solar photovoltaic projects are eligible to
compete in the next contracts for difference allocation round in
December this year. The Government also support rooftop solar
through the smart export guarantee and energy efficiency schemes.
Community energy is vitally important in delivering renewable
energy and engaging communities in contributing to net zero, but
the sector has suffered since the Government cancelled the urban
community energy fund in 2016 and excluded it from the social
investment tax relief in 2017. This evening I am meeting
Sustainable Energy 24 in my constituency, which is working hard
to deliver new solar installations and engage our local
communities, despite the Government’s lack of support. Will the
Minister commit to meaningful support for community energy?
We are absolutely supportive of community energy. The £10 million
rural community energy fund provides grant funding to help
communities with the up-front costs of project development. We
have also funded dedicated officers at five local energy hubs to
provide one-to-one support. We intend to set out our future plans
for community energy in the forthcoming net zero strategy.
Automotive Sector
(Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)
What recent discussions he has held with representatives of the
automotive sector.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
Ministers in this Department have regular and productive
discussions with the automotive sector on opportunities in the
UK. Through our efforts, just last week—five years after the EU
referendum—a new electric vehicle hub in Sunderland was
announced, which will benefit the whole sector. Nissan still
remains in the UK. Nissan is investing in the UK.
[V]
The automotive sector has been through a hugely difficult time,
impacting on the industry and the supply chain right across the
UK, including in my constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney. I
very much support the recent announcements of new opportunities,
supporting jobs and job opportunities in England. What recent
discussions has the Minister had with the Welsh Government on
this issue to ensure that support and opportunities for the
automotive sector reach all parts of the United Kingdom?
My colleagues across the Department speak with the Welsh
Government regularly, and I have quad meetings with my
counterparts in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We
absolutely recognise the importance of the automotive sector to
the UK’s economy, and indeed to the Welsh economy, and are
continuing to invest in it. By supporting innovation in the
sector’s transition to zero-emission technologies, we are
securing existing jobs and creating jobs for the future.
Mr Speaker
I call Richard Holden—not here. This is not very good. I call Bob
Seely—not here. This is the worst school register anybody could
have.
Net Zero Emissions Target
(Hornsey and
Wood Green) (Lab)
What steps the Government are taking to achieve the net zero
emissions target.
(Winchester) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to achieve net zero emissions
by 2050.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
I will pass on your displeasure, Mr Speaker. I had some very
interesting answers to share with my hon. Friends, so I am as
disappointed as you. Our 10-point plan lays the foundation for
the transition to net zero, with key commitments and action
including in offshore wind, zero-emission vehicles and building
our green economy. Ahead of COP26, we will also publish a
comprehensive net zero strategy. It will set out the Government’s
vision for transitioning to a net zero economy, making the most
of new growth and employment opportunities across the UK.
May I press the Minister on the Aquind scheme, in which I believe
she may have an interest that she needs to declare? It was raised
by my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Dr
Whitehead). How many green jobs will be provided by the proposed
scheme and what national security assessment has been carried
out, given that the project is sponsored by an oligarch who has
donated £1 million to the Conservative party?
I am unable to answer any of the hon. Lady’s questions, because I
have recused myself from all matters to do with the Aquind
interconnector, because Northumberland Conservatives received
some funds from one of the owners of the company.
The retrofitting of existing housing stock has to be a key
component of our net zero drive. We have had the green deal and
we have had the green homes grant. I think the most diplomatic
way of putting it is that neither has realised their potential.
Can I ask the Minister what comes next and when we might have
sight of that?
The Government are continuing to fund a number of schemes as part
of our commitment to retrofit homes in order to cut energy bills
for the poorest households and make them greener on that path to
net zero. The green homes grant local authority delivery scheme,
which is supporting projects to install energy efficiency
measures for low-income households, has already provided £500
million to local authorities and low-income households across
England. That is being delivered up to the end of this year. In
June this year, we launched the sustainable warmth competition,
enabling local authorities to apply for further funding under the
£200 million local authority delivery phase 3 scheme.
Open Banking
(Weston-super-Mare) (Con)
What discussions he has had with the Competition and Markets
Authority on the independence of open banking.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
I and my officials have regular conversations with the
Competition and Markets Authority on a wide range of issues,
although open banking is normally handled by the Exchequer
Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Saffron
Walden (). We support independence as a key criterion for the
future open banking governance model.
I am delighted to hear that the independence of open banking is a
core principle. Would my hon. Friend agree that open banking
potentially creates a much wider idea or direction of travel for
open everything? All sorts of other sectors could benefit from
this approach to allow switching to be done much more easily and
much more quickly. We could open up to competition many more
sectors of our economy.
I totally agree with my hon. Friend. He is absolutely right,
because we want to continue the UK’s lead in open banking, but
there is so much more to do with smart data. We will learn the
lessons that allow us to lead in open banking and apply them to
all those other areas that he mentions.
Mr Speaker
Final question—Dr .
(New Forest
East) (Con)
Much to my surprise, Mr Speaker—Question 35.
Investment Security Unit: Parliamentary Scrutiny
(New Forest
East) (Con)
What steps he is taking to enable the effective parliamentary
scrutiny of the classified aspects of the Investment Security
Unit.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
The National Security and Investment Act 2021 delivers important
reforms of UK investment-screening powers, helping to keep this
country safe. The Government look forward to working with the
BEIS Committee to enable it to provide the same effective
scrutiny of the Investment Security Unit as it does of the rest
of the Department’s work. We are in the process of developing a
memorandum of understanding to allow it to do just that.
Dr Lewis
Will my hon. Friend the Minister kindly explain the practical
arrangements that will be made to ensure that the BEIS Committee
can scrutinise the top secret documents involved in the work of
the Investment Security Unit? Specifically, will the Committee’s
members and staff be cleared to see and handle such documents,
and will they be given access to secure premises in which to read
and discuss such highly classified papers? And I think the answer
is “fat chance”.
Mr Speaker
It’s already answered then.
No, we will make sure that the BEIS Committee has the information
it needs to fulfil its remit and scrutinise the work of the
Investment Security Unit. As my right hon. Friend will be aware,
the Osmotherly rules set out how secret and top secret material
should be handled with respect to Committees other than the
Intelligence and Security Committee. I can assure the House that
we will have regard to those principles as we develop the
memorandum of understanding with the BEIS Committee.
Topical Questions
(Eastleigh) (Con)
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
After a very long and difficult year, things are looking up. Our
economy is in better health than many had predicted, and the
vaccine roll-out continues apace. While some are keen to talk
down Britain, across the economy optimism is returning. Last
week, Nissan and Envision announced a £1 billion investment to
create the UK’s largest gigafactory, creating 1,600 new jobs in
Sunderland and 4,500 more in the supply chain. Today, Stellantis
has announced over £100 million of investment at its Vauxhall
plant in Ellesmere Port, which is to become the first
mass-volume, fully battery-electric vehicle plant in Europe. This
will safeguard the future of the site and its supply chain for
the next decade. These are both huge votes of confidence in the
UK post Brexit, and show our green industrial revolution in
action. With COP26 fast approaching, the Secretary of State and I
will continue to drive forward the Prime Minister’s 10-point
plan—growing our economy, levelling up the country and, of
course, tackling emissions.
[V]
I welcome the Secretary of State’s announcement last week that he
is bringing forward the date to remove unabated coal from the
UK’s energy mix by a whole year to 2024. Does my right hon.
Friend agree that this shows how the UK is leading the world in
consigning coal power to the history books, and showing that we
are serious about decarbonising our power system so that we can
meet our ambitious, world-leading climate targets?
I fully agree with my hon. Friend. Closing Britain’s remaining
coal units by 2024 will mean that we have reduced coal’s share of
our electricity supply from a third to zero in only 10 years.
This is a huge achievement that reinforces our record on climate
action.
(Doncaster North) (Lab)
As my hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich
() said earlier, the Climate Change Committee’s
report card on the Government two weeks ago was devastating:
“This defining year for the UK’s climate credentials has been
marred by uncertainty and delay”.
The Climate Change Committee says that
“the policy is just not there”,
and:
“We continue to blunder into high-carbon choices.”
The chair, , when asked
to give the Government marks out of 10 for policy, said
“somewhere below four”. On any measure, these are failing grades.
Who does the Minister hold responsible?
As we are world-leading—and, like a number of world leaders, I
think Mark Carney stated at a Select Committee yesterday that we
are doing as well as anybody else across the planet—I must
respectfully disagree with the right hon. Gentleman, because I
think we really are making huge progress. The policy that is
rolling out is rolling out at incredible pace. Businesses—and I
am hugely impressed—are leaning in so hard to help as their
contribution to the decarbonisation challenges we face. As we
move towards the net zero strategy, he will be able to see the
holistic approach we are taking, which will ensure that all of us
who are going to help to solve that will meet the challenge.
I think that is what we call the “dog ate my homework” excuse,
and this is where the problem lies. When it comes to investment
in a green recovery, the UK Government’s plans per head of
population are less than a third of Germany, a quarter of France
and just 6% of the US. That is why the Climate Change Committee
says that we are just one fifth of the way to meeting our targets
in terms of policy. Is it not the truth that, because the
Government are not matching their grand rhetoric with public
investment at scale, they are failing to tackle the biggest
long-term threat our country faces?
We are one fifth of the way. If this is a journey to net zero in
2050, we have put into law—in fact, I did so just two weeks
ago—carbon budget 6, which has brought forward the challenge we
face to decarbonise our power industry by 15 years. We are
literally world-leading in doing this, and other countries are
talking to me day by day in an effort to help them follow the
path we are taking and to make sure that we all do our part to
meet net zero. This is not only about the UK; this is of course a
global challenge, and the work my right hon. Friend the COP
President-Designate is doing to help drive that across the world
is critically important to its success.
(Cities of London and Westminster) (Con)
Independent businesses are the beating heart of our high streets,
and my constituency is fortunate because it is brimming with
independent shops that are ready to sell everything from artisan
food to emerging fashion brands. Last weekend we marked
Independents’ Day, and I visited Marylebone, where I was
delighted to visit Paul Rothe & Son Deli, Penton’s hardware
shop, and Sandfords flower stall. Does my hon. Friend agree that
we must do everything in our power to support independent
businesses this summer, and encourage people back to city
centres, including central London and every other city centre in
the United Kingdom, to take advantage of those brilliant unique
shops?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
My hon. Friend is a doughty champion of small and independent
businesses in her constituency, as well as of those big
businesses that everybody knows around the world, not just the
country. She is right to say that if people come to the centre of
London, which has been remarkably quiet and slow to recover, they
will see the benefits of those independent shops, as well as
being able to enjoy everything that the most fantastic global
city, represented by my hon. Friend, has to offer.
(Stockton North) (Lab)
CF Fertilisers in Billingham in my constituency is one of the two
remaining primary ammonia plants in the UK. The Department for
Transport anticipates that 80% of UK domestic shipping will rely
on ammonia for fuel by 2050, and CF Fertilisers will have a
critical role to play. It has been hugely proactive in reducing
emissions, but it is reliant on carbon capture and storage to
decarbonise further. What plans does the Minister have to select
and progress ammonia decarbonisation within phase 1 of the CCS
programme, plus the sequencing process?
As the hon. Gentleman will know, the process is in full swing and
we will make an announcement before too long about those first
clusters, and who will be able to lead in the carbon capture,
utilisation and storage programme. The sixth carbon budget means
that we have brought in the challenge of getting to grips with
aviation and shipping fuels, and the Department for Transport is
focusing on how that will be part of the net zero strategy.
(Harrow East)
(Con) [V]
Following the regrettable decision by the Chancellor to exclude
new nuclear power from our clean energy programme, will the
Minister update the House on what action she will take to ensure
that we commission and develop urgently needed new nuclear power
stations, so that we keep the lights on and provide base-level
energy across the grid?
The Government are committed to new nuclear power, as we set out
in the Energy White Paper last year. We have entered into
negotiations with the developers of Sizewell C to consider the
financing, and to set to building that as the next one after
Hinkley Point C. We have committed £385 million for developing
advanced nuclear jobs, including small modular reactors, for
deployment in the 2030s.
(North
Tyneside) (Lab)
In November 2019, the Prime Minister promised that he would end
the Government raid on miners’ pensions. Yesterday, the
Government flagrantly rejected the unanimous cross-party report
by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, which
said it was right to tackle that injustice. Why have the
Government betrayed the Prime Minister’s promised to coalfield
communities?
As I mentioned in an earlier answer, I met a number of trustees a
few weeks ago and we discussed a number of issues in detail. I
left them with a number of issues to go away and consider. The
proposition as it currently stands is one that the Government do
not wish to take forward, but I have asked the trustees to come
back to me once they have considered the questions we discussed.
(Dewsbury) (Con)
I am delighted that Dewsbury has been awarded £24.8 million after
its towns fund bid. Will the Minister outline the benefits that
that investment will have for retailers and other businesses in
my home town?
What a fantastic story. In just 18 months, my hon. Friend has
shown the impact of his work across his home town. He is
absolutely right. Dewsbury’s transformative £24.8 million
investment will make it a more attractive place to live, work and
invest by supporting projects that deliver that enhanced business
environment, such as the arcade to be reopened to small
independent businesses and Dewsbury market to be transformed into
a modern-day market, with fibre network improvements and
repurposing underused sites. This is really going to boost
Dewsbury’s reputation as a place for starting and growing a
business.
(Bury North) (Con)
In November last year, the Government report on the first
statutory review of the pubs code was published. It proposed
certain changes that could improve the operation of the code.
Will my hon. Friend update the House on whether those changes
have been implemented? Does he believe that further statutory
provisions are required to adequately protect the interests of
tied tenants and ensure a future for thousands of pubs throughout
the country?
I thank my hon. Friend for his interest in a really important
area of supporting pubs. We will shortly publish a consultation
to seek views on detailed options to improve the practical
operation of the pubs code. It is important that all interested
parties are able to comment, given the code’s complexity and
potential impact on property rights. It covers just under 8,700
tied pub tenants in England and Wales, so it is only a small
proportion of businesses in the hospitality sector, but a very
important proportion. Next year, we will launch a second
statutory review to seek stakeholders’ views on the effectiveness
of the pubs code.
(Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab) [V]
Could one of the Ministers tell me whether they agree that it is
wrong for companies that have received millions of pounds of
support from taxpayers to now seek to fire and rehire their
staff?
I thank the right hon. Lady for her continued interest in this
important area. I have said time and time again that it is not
acceptable for employers to use such bully-boy negotiating
tactics. ACAS has done the quantitative work on fire and rehire.
We are asking it to write guidance, but also to do some more
detailed work. If we need to act, we certainly will act.
(Mid Derbyshire) (Con)
I heard from pilots at the travel day of action about the
disaster facing their industries if coronavirus restrictions are
not relaxed soon. As the Minister will know, our aviation, travel
and tourism sectors were the first to be impacted as a
consequence of covid-19, with passenger numbers collapsing from
March 2020. With recovery likely to take a number of years, these
will also be the last sectors to revive. Can my hon. Friend tell
me what help he will be giving to the aviation industry after 19
July if the Transport Secretary does not open up the airways?
Travel has an impact beyond the sector itself and the impact of
reopening our cities. We will continue to work with the sector to
offer it support and to flex our support. My hon. Friend
mentioned weddings. On 21 June, the restrictions on weddings were
eased, which I was pleased to see. The number is now determined
by how many a venue can safely accommodate with social distancing
measures in place. I am looking forward to the day when those
final social distancing measures can melt away.
(Glenrothes) (SNP)
This morning the Government tweeted to tell us that about 1.7
million businesses had been allowed to borrow money under the
various coronavirus loan schemes. Do they also intend to send out
a tweet to tell us how many jobs have been lost and how many
businesses have been destroyed by the decision to exclude 3
million business owners from any coronavirus support whatever?
I have continued to converse, whether in person or on social
media, with some of the people leading the campaign in this area.
As I have said before, a lot of the schemes we put in place have
been reverse engineered so we can deliver them quickly, at pace
and at scale. We have not been able to save every business and
every job, but clearly, we will look to not only reopen and
recover, so that we can bounce back better and protect as many
jobs as we can, but create new jobs as well.
(New Forest West) (Con)
Is there anything that Ministers can do to ensure that small
builders get access to building materials that are increasingly
in short supply?
There is a shortage of building materials due to global demand
outstripping supply. We are working with the Construction
Leadership Council’s product availability group to identify and
resolve these challenges.
(Easington) (Lab)
The Government’s refusal to act on the recommendations of the
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee’s report is
nothing short of a complete and total betrayal of retired
mineworkers and their widows. Notwithstanding the Minister’s
reply about ongoing discussions on the sharing arrangements, why
are the Government blocking the transfer of £1.2 billion of the
miners’ own money from the reserve fund to immediately uplift the
pensions of miners and their widows struggling to make ends meet?
That fund—one might describe it as a backstop—is there for
support if there is a need to increase pensions. I am pleased to
continue discussions with the trustees to look at potential
solutions for the years ahead as the number of miners reduces and
the investment pot needs to be looked at differently.
(Southport)
(Con)
Does my hon. Friend the Minister agree that the billion pound
investment package recently unveiled by Nissan UK is a further
post-Brexit mark of confidence in UK science, technology and
manufacturing? Will he do more to ensure that such investment is
forthcoming in the next few years?
I agree with my hon. Friend about Nissan’s investment and the
confidence it has shown in this country, which is a ringing
endorsement. Indeed, the Secretary of State is up in Ellesmere
Port talking to Stellantis about its investment in this country
as well.
(Bath) (LD) [V]
Community energy has manifold advantages, but its full potential
cannot be unleashed, mainly because of regulatory barriers. Will
the Minister meet me and Power for People to discuss how we can
work with Government to find a way forward?
As I said earlier, we already have a number of funds working in
community energy. I am happy to meet the hon. Lady at any point
to discuss her perspective.
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)
Yet again, we have heard about the need for a nuclear baseload.
The reality is that Dungeness nuclear power station shut down
seven years early and 75% of the existing nuclear fleet will be
offline before Hinkley Point C can be up and running. Will the
Minister tell me whether the nuclear baseload is a myth or when
the lights will be getting turned out?
We continue to invest in new nuclear, as I set out earlier, and
we are working to grow our renewable energies at an extraordinary
pace. We are world leading, with our offshore wind capacity
already at 29% of the total, and we will continue to grow that
from 10 GW to 40 GW by 2030.
(Hornsey and
Wood Green) (Lab)
On a point of order, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker
Is the point of order relevant to these questions?
It is. In Question 31, I asked about green jobs and a scheme
called Aquind, sponsored by Mr Temerko, who is a funder of the
Tory party to the tune of £1 million. The Minister for Business,
Energy and Clean Growth quite rightly recused herself from
answering the question because she has an interest, but can
anyone else on the Front Bench answer my question about green
jobs? Has a national security assessment been done of the Aquind
project for an interconnector between France and the UK and its
data implications?
Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. My right hon. Friend
the Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth was right to
recuse herself from the decision to ensure probity. We will find
an answer for the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green
() from the
Secretary of State.
Mr Speaker
Right, thank you.
