Life Sciences Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock)
(Con) 1. What progress his Department has made on delivering the
“Life Sciences Vision”. The Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy (Kwasi Kwarteng) The “Life Sciences Vision”
outlined our bold ambition to bring scientific excellence and the
dynamism of industry together to solve the most pressing health
challenges. I am delighted to say that since the strategy
was...Request free trial
Life Sciences
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
1. What progress his Department has made on delivering the “Life
Sciences Vision”.
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy ()
The “Life Sciences Vision” outlined our bold ambition to bring
scientific excellence and the dynamism of industry together to
solve the most pressing health challenges. I am delighted to say
that since the strategy was published we have already launched a
£200 million life sciences investment programme and established
the life sciences scale-up taskforce.
I welcome the record research and development settlement for my
right hon. Friend’s Department that was delivered during the
spending review, a good chunk of which will, I hope, support
investment in health and life sciences. Does he agree that our
world-class life sciences base has been and will be our defence
against future pandemics? Will he comment on his Department’s
plans to locate more life sciences manufacturing facilities in
the UK, so that we are less reliant on a global supply chain?
I fully agree with my hon. Friend that world-class life sciences
are vital, and I am pleased to confirm that we have already
allocated £354 million in the spending review to strengthen the
UK’s life sciences manufacturing base, with particular emphasis
on preparing for future pandemics.
(Bristol North West) (Lab)
It has been reported that the Prime Minister is minded to split
up the Secretary of State’s Department so that he can better
deliver on the Department’s priorities. Does the Secretary of
State agree on that?
I think it is absolutely vital that the net zero agenda—the
climate change action agenda—is situated firmly in a Business
Department, and I am delighted to head that Department.
(Bolton North East) (Con)
I have two questions for the Secretary of State. What role can
life sciences play in the Advanced Research and Invention Agency?
What role can Bolton play in ARIA?
Mr Speaker
We are meant to have only one question.
My hon. Friend smuggled a leading question into his first
question. He knows that ARIA is a key part of our strategy to
become a science superpower, and he and I can discuss the role
that Bolton will play in that exciting future.
(Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)
The “Life Sciences Vision” has dementia as its first mission. The
Conservative manifesto committed to doubling research funding in
a dementia moonshot, but the Budget ignored it. The UK Dementia
Research Institute called this
“a major blow to UK neuroscientists racing to find cures for
these devastating diseases”.
Alzheimer’s Research UK said that this
“lets down the nearly one million people in the UK affected by
this devastating condition.”
So will the Secretary of State now set out a clear timetable for
doubling dementia research funding, as Labour has? Or is the
“Life Sciences Vision”, like the R&D road map, the industrial
strategy, the innovation strategy, the grand challenges and
Northern Powerhouse Rail, all talk and no action?
I completely refute the hon. Lady’s allegation that those things
are all words. The innovation strategy is the first of its kind.
It has been broadly welcomed across the sector, and she will know
that dementia is one of the seven technologies in engineering and
biology that we are pursuing in the innovation strategy.
Offshore Wind Energy
(Blyth Valley) (Con)
2. What steps his Department is taking to help support the
generation of offshore wind energy.
(Great Grimsby) (Con)
19. What steps his Department is taking to help support the
generation of offshore wind energy.
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy ()
The Government recently announced £380 million for our
world-leading offshore wind sector, which is boosting jobs and
investment across the UK. My hon. Friend will know that the
allocation round 4 opens in December, and we are very much
looking forward to the bids in that round.
The House has often heard me talk about Blyth Valley being at the
heart of the green industrial revolution. Catapult, in the Port
of Blyth, has tested the largest windmill blades in the world for
years. We need to continue to be at the forefront of blade
testing, to hold our No. 1 position on the global stage. Will my
right hon. Friend agree to meet me and the management team from
Catapult to make sure that we continue to lead in the race to a
greener future?
I would be delighted to see my hon. Friend and the great people
who are working on the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult in
Blyth. It is a fantastic development and the people working there
will surely allow us to hit the 40 GW target for offshore wind in
2030.
As the Secretary of State knows, Great Grimsby is the UK’s
largest centre for offshore wind operations and maintenance. The
£160 million announcement for floating offshore wind was very
welcome. Does he believe that the time is right to increase our
ambitions for that power supply to above 1 GW, which would
increase investors’ confidence?
I am delighted to see my hon. Friend, who I accompanied in her
constituency shortly after her stunning victory in 2019. She will
know that I and the Department are fully committed to ensuring
that we have increased ambitions. We are always looking to
increase our ambitions.
(Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD)
I welcome what the Secretary of State says about wind power—we
are proud in Cumbria to be at the heart of offshore wind—but does
that not contrast negatively with the Government still sitting on
the fence about commissioning a new coalmine in west Cumbria?
Given the incredibly disappointing outcome on coal from COP26, is
this not a moment for the UK Government to take a lead and say
that the coalmine will not open?
First, the hon. Gentleman will understand that the coalmine is a
matter of an independent planning decision. Secondly, I
completely deny his assertion that somehow COP26 was a failure.
It was not. It was a great success, thanks to the COP26
President, my right hon. Friend the Member for Reading West
(). Huge commitments were made,
which everyone is supporting.
(Na h-Eileanan an
Iar) (SNP)
Tapadh leibh. Scotland’s offshore islands could produce as much
energy each day as some EU countries are sending to the United
Kingdom. When will we see contract for difference levels match
interconnector requirements? The Secretary of State knows about
this subject. Will that come soon, especially for the Hebrides? I
say gently to him that, as he knows, probably no other country in
Europe would be squandering this opportunity.
The hon. Gentleman knows that I am fully committed to remote
island wind. In fact, when I was Energy Minister, I spearheaded
the move to have a separate pot for renewable island wind. He
lobbied successfully, and I am happy to speak to him about that
at any time of his choosing.
(Sedgefield) (Con)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the recent comprehensive
spending review and Budget announcement shows that the Government
are delivering an historic increase in R&D investment to
build back better with a high skill and wage economy for all of
the UK? That is very much reflected in NETPark in Sedgefield,
which he had the pleasure of visiting recently.
I was delighted to see my hon. Friend in his constituency and to
see the wonderful businesses that he is promoting. He will know
that the CSR is fully committed to driving our science superpower
status through unprecedented investment.
Onshoring Manufacturing and Production
(Birmingham, Erdington)
(Lab)
3. What steps he is taking to promote the onshoring of
manufacturing jobs and production to the UK.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
The Government are committed to a strong, vibrant and diverse
manufacturing sector in the United Kingdom. The west midlands—and
the UK as a whole—is already a great place to do business. The
Government will continue to focus on encouraging businesses,
improving the long-term competitiveness and productivity of
manufacturing via initiatives such as Help to Grow, the Made
Smarter programme, the Catapult programme and others.
For this country’s manufacturing base to prosper and succeed, it
requires a firm commitment from Government to support the making
and buying of goods manufactured in Britain. The Minister will be
familiar with the shameful decision by Melrose to shut a factory
in Chester Road, Erdington with 70 years of history; those
manufacturing jobs were instead exported to Poland. What steps
will he take to recoup the £67 million of taxpayers’ money given
to Melrose to export jobs to Poland? Will he send an
unmistakeable message to Melrose that it will get not one penny
more of taxpayers’ support unless it works with the workforce and
all the key stakeholders to find an alternative manufacturing use
for its site in one of the most deprived communities in
Britain?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for the question. We were
disappointed, as he was, by GKN Melrose’s decision. Ultimately,
such decisions are for individual companies, but we realise the
significant impact on his community and are working with the
local community to try to find alternative ways to support
employees in the area.
(North East Bedfordshire)
(Con)
The Minister knows that one of the best ways to promote the
onshoring of manufacturing jobs and production to the UK is to
shape regulation to support enterprise. What steps has his
Department made to take forward the recommendations of the Prime
Minister’s taskforce on innovation, growth and regulatory
reform?
We know regulation has a critical part to play in ensuring that
we get the frameworks right for long-term investment and support.
My hon. Friend will know that one of my colleagues who was
appointed alongside me was an author of that report, and the
Secretary of State and I, and all Ministers, will continue to
review what we can do to improve regulation over the long
term.
(Aberdeen South) (SNP)
When it comes to manufacturing, the first thought on the mind of
all Scotland fans this morning is quite how Steve Clarke and his
team continue to manufacture so many brilliant wins.
Notwithstanding my necessary gloating, I have a serious question
for the Minister. Does he agree and accept that to harness,
safeguard and expand manufacturing jobs in Scotland’s tidal
energy sector, his Government must deliver the £71 million that
the industry has asked for?
We know there is a substantial amount of work to do to
decarbonise the UK economy, including the energy sector. We are
doing that in a range of ways, and I will continue to co-ordinate
with the Minister of State, Department for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chelsea
and Fulham (), to support that activity.
I am afraid that answer simply does not cut it. This is a
world-leading industry based in Scotland, and it has the capacity
to provide 11% of the entire UK’s electricity. The Minister will
be aware that the likes of Canada, France and Japan have put in
place financial mechanisms to capitalise on tidal energy. Is he
seriously saying that his Government would rather see jobs
offshored to those countries than see them in Scotland?
I apologise if the hon. Gentleman did not hear my first answer. I
said that the Department will continue to look at all
opportunities to decarbonise the electricity grid and to ensure
that, over the long term, energy can support that
decarbonisation. We will continue to look at tidal, and we will
bring forward the opportunities that we are able to bring
forward.
(Kettering) (Con)
Will my hon. Friend confirm that the Chancellor’s capital
investment tax relief of 130% is leading to a sharp increase in
manufacturing investment, demonstrated by Alpro at its superb
manufacturing site in Burton Latimer in the Kettering
constituency?
My hon. Friend gives a brilliant example of where the support
that is being provided by the Treasury and the Chancellor can,
over the long term, ensure investment in plant and machinery and
improvement in productivity across the country.
Clean Steel Fund
(Gordon) (SNP)
4. What steps his Department is taking to allocate funding from
the Clean Steel Fund before 2023 following the development of
hydrogen-based steelmaking projects in Sweden and Germany.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
The Government continue to work with the UK steel sector, through
the UK Steel Council, regular meetings and constant dialogue, to
understand its decarbonisation plans, whether through electric
arc, industrial carbon capture equipment or other emerging
technologies such as hydrogen.
In contrast to Germany’s €3 billion hydrogen plan, there was no
new funding announced in the recent Budget for clean steel
projects. As 2023 is far too late, with primary steel plants
accounting for 15% of UK CO2 emissions, will the Government now
commit funding to clean steel projects similar to the ones we see
in Germany and Sweden, or will steel communities be left standing
by once again while European competitors get on with levelling up
their industries?
I caution against the hon. Gentleman’s comparison. We have a
similar ambition to countries such as Germany on things like
hydrogen, and we have already published our hydrogen strategy. I
have had extensive engagement with the steel sector in my two
months as Minister for steel, including another visit yesterday,
and we continue to want to support the industry on its
decarbonisation journey. We know it is challenging, but there are
already examples and we will continue to work with the industry
to ensure it happens.
(Feltham and Heston)
(Lab/Co-op)
Years of Tory neglect and inaction mean the UK is falling further
behind in the race to win the future of green steel production.
Governments around the world are committing to their steel
industries with long-term investment, but the Minister, the
Budget and, indeed, the hydrogen strategy have failed to deliver
any timetable for how the Clean Steel Fund will be implemented.
There appears to be no urgency and no plan.
Will the Secretary of State tell us today whether he will back
Labour’s plan for a £3 billion steel renewal fund to achieve
near-zero-emissions steel production by 2035 to secure UK steel’s
future? If not, why is he so content to see British industries
lose out, more British businesses go under and more British jobs
lost?
That is neither an accurate reflection of the situation nor an
accurate reflection of the historical support that has been given
to the steel industry. Since 2013, there has been £600
million-worth of support for electricity price relief. The
industrial energy transformation fund was opened last year and
steel companies had the opportunity to apply for it, and we have
published the steel procurement pipeline and the steel
safeguards. We will continue to work with this important sector
to ensure that it can decarbonise and has long-term support for
its future.
Mr Speaker
I call .
(Tiverton and Honiton)
(Con)
Question 5, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker
You are meant to stand up.
Global Gas Prices
(Tiverton and Honiton)
(Con)
5. What steps he is taking to help protect families from
increases in global gas prices.
(Birmingham, Ladywood)
(Lab)
8. What steps he is taking to help protect (a) business and (b)
consumers from rising wholesale gas prices.
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy ()
The Government’s energy price cap will ensure that millions of
households are protected from an instant wave of bill increases
this winter. We also have well-established schemes in place for
those businesses that are most exposed to energy prices.
Apologies, Mr Speaker—some of us are very slow learners.
With global energy markets in a state of flux, Tiverton and
Honiton constituents, particularly elderly and vulnerable
residents, are concerned about the sharp increases in household
bills. With Christmas just around the corner, will my right hon.
Friend assure me that the Government will do all they can to
stabilise the UK energy sector and ensure that those who
experience fuel insecurity have the support they need this
winter? Many rural households are off grid, so oil and
electricity prices are also of great concern.
I assure my hon. Friend that protecting consumers is our No. 1
priority. The Secretary of State and I engage with Ofgem very
often and with energy suppliers constantly, to monitor the health
of the energy market. The Government’s warm homes discount,
winter fuel payment and cold weather payment schemes will support
low-income and vulnerable households throughout the winter.
Nothing that the Minister has said today will provide immediate
relief to enough of the people who are struggling throughout the
country. I have had constituents tell me that they are sitting in
the cold to try to save money, yet the Government rejected
Labour’s call to cut VAT on energy bills. Such a cut would have
provided immediate relief to people in my constituency. What on
earth does the Minister expect my constituents to do as they face
a long, difficult and cold winter, with rising prices and rising
energy prices in particular?
Of course, I share the hon. Lady’s concern for vulnerable people
who face potential rises in energy prices. She will know that VAT
is a matter for the Treasury but, of course, a VAT cut would be
very untargeted towards vulnerable people. That is why we have
schemes in place, such as the warm home discount, winter fuel
payments and cold weather payments, to help vulnerable and
elderly people. The Government have got the policy right.
(Banff and Buchan) (Con)
On energy security, UK natural gas production has come down from
around two thirds of UK demand in 2015 to less than half in the
first quarter of this year—with, by the way, around 25% coming
ashore at St Fergus in my constituency. Does my right hon. Friend
agree that although we see a welcome increase in UK renewable
capacity, it is far preferable, while a reducing demand for gas
still exists, to source that gas domestically rather than to
depend on foreign imports?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that we will always prefer
British gas production to foreign imports. Some 50% of the gas we
currently consume comes from the UK continental shelf, with an
additional 30% from Norway. My hon. Friend is right to mention
the transition; I know how much he fights for his constituency’s
huge extent and variety of energy producers. Earlier this year,
we were delighted to agree the North sea sector transition deal,
which will offer a fantastic future for my hon. Friend’s
constituents and those right across north-east Scotland.
(Southampton, Test)
(Lab)
I think the technically correct answer to the question posed by
my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Ladywood () is (a) none and (b)
none.
The Secretary of State claimed that he was in talks with the
Treasury about assistance for energy-intensive industries a month
ago; it turns out that he was not, and nothing has happened
since. Meanwhile, wholesale gas prices remain at around 200p per
therm, compared with 39p per therm a year ago. Industry is
suffering grievously and 40% of energy companies have now gone
bust, leaving more than 2 million customers without a supplier
and forced to take on new suppliers, often at great cost to their
bills. Even with the price cap, bills are likely to rise by a
further £200 in the spring. This is a train wreck, so what is the
Minister doing now to rescue passengers from the carriages and
put the rolling stock back on the lines? Or will he just continue
to act the part of a disinterested bystander?
That allegation is rather unfair. We are engaging continuously
with the Treasury on these matters. We have already put in place
£2 billion of funds to help with the cost of electricity and to
protect jobs. We have the £350 million Industrial Energy
Transformation Fund, and the Under-Secretary of State for
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, my hon. Friend the
Member for North East Derbyshire (), meets regularly—and has done so very recently—with
the Energy Intensive Users Group.
Tidal and Nuclear Power
(Isle of Wight) (Con)
7. What plans his Department has to support the growth of (a)
tidal and (b) nuclear power generation.
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy ()
Our most recent contract for difference allocation round is the
biggest ever. Tidal stream will be eligible to compete in pot 2
of the round. With regards to nuclear power, this Government see
a vital role for new nuclear. We have just started considering
the Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill in Committee and, of course,
we understand that net zero needs nuclear.
I congratulate the Secretary of State and his team on putting in
place a long-term energy strategy, because we have seen from
Germany’s example how disastrous it is not to have that long-term
strategy. Very quickly, on tidal, is the financing generous
enough, because I understand that some tidal producers are saying
that it is not? Secondly, on nuclear, will the £210 million for
small-scale reactors—a brilliant thing to do—get us to a position
where we are actually producing those reactors, or is this just
an initial round of research?
My hon. Friend has dextrously managed to get in two supplementary
questions there. On tidal, of course we set the allocation round
in September. That round will open on 13 December. Project
developers can declare an intention to bid. May I commend his
Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre on the Isle of Wight for its
brilliant work on tidal energy?
With regard to small modular reactors, the announcement made by
my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and his visit last
week made it absolutely clear that there is strong support for
British technology and British SMR design, and we want to see
that move forward and make the UK a world leader in small modular
reactors.
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
(SNP)
In the Budget, £1.7 billion was allocated just to develop
Sizewell C to a final investment decision. The Government are
putting through the Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill to enter into
a 60-year contract for that project, and yet, in terms of tidal
stream, there was no Government support whatsoever. Without a
ringfenced pot of money, tidal stream will not be able to compete
in pot 2, so will the Government urgently reconsider the request
for a £71 million pot of ringfenced money?
Since 2003 successive Governments have provided innovation
funding of £175 million to wave and tidal sectors, and there has
been £80 million since 2010. We are strong supporters of tidal
stream. The Prime Minister was explicit from the Dispatch Box
yesterday, reiterating his support. What we now need to do is
work with the sector to demonstrate cost reductions and the
potential for this technology.
(Clwyd West) (Con)
Like nuclear, tidal range has the capacity to deliver predictable
large-scale generation with none of the problems of intermittence
associated with other renewable technologies. The proposed Colwyn
Bay tidal lagoon would have a generating capacity of more than 2
GW. There is considerable local support for the project, and the
proposed developers are anxious to proceed. Is my right hon.
Friend willing to meet with me and my hon. Friends the Members
for Aberconwy () and for Vale of Clwyd (Dr
Davies), who also have an interest in the project, to discuss a
way of taking it forward?
I would be delighted to have the opportunity to meet my right
hon. Friend and his colleagues. I am always delighted to see so
much energy in north Wales when it comes to questions of energy.
I remind him that, when I say that we need to demonstrate cost
reductions, the most recent reckoning on prices is that tidal
stream is around £220 per MWh, wave is about £280 per MWh, and
offshore wind is only about £40 per MWh. With scaling up and
investment in the technology, we would expect those costs to come
down, but I stress the current disparity between those
sectors.
(Orkney and Shetland)
(LD)
In order to get those costs to come down, though, we first have
to have the ringfenced pot for tidal stream energy. At the
Dispatch Box on 3 November—in column 926 of Hansard—the Prime
Minister undertook in response to me that he would look again at
this question. There is a hard deadline approaching at the end of
the month with the contract for difference. When will we hear the
outcome of the Prime Minister’s further look again at this
question?
The right hon. Gentleman will have heard the Prime Minister’s
words on this matter yesterday from the Dispatch Box, when he was
asked about it in relation to his COP statement. I have nothing
new to say on the allocation round. We announced the parameters
for allocation round 4, which will open in just a few weeks’
time, on 13 December. Project developers will be able to declare
their intention to bid, and the round very much includes
technologies such as tidal and wave, and other pot 2 emerging
technologies.
Non-Disclosure Agreement
(Basingstoke) (Con)
9. What steps he is taking to tackle the misuse of non-disclosure
agreements.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
The Government have committed to changing the law to ensure that
individuals signing non-disclosure agreements are able to make
disclosures to the police and regulated health and legal
professionals. We will also ensure that the limitations of each
non-disclosure agreement are clear.
Mrs Miller
I thank the Minister for all the work that he is doing on this
issue. Will he be bringing forward legislation to ensure that it
is clear to all employers that non-disclosure agreements should
never be used to buy the silence of victims, because that has no
place in British society?
I congratulate my right hon. Friend on the campaign that she is
running alongside Zelda Perkins and others. She rightly
highlights the Government’s commitment to the issue, as well as
the previous Women and Equalities Committee’s excellent work in
this area. The Government are committed to implementing
legislation when parliamentary time allows, but I reassure her
that we will crack down on the use of non-disclosure
agreements.
Mr (East Londonderry)
(DUP)
Will the Minister assure us that he will have discussions with
his colleagues at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and
Sport to ensure that organisations and businesses that rely on
public money, such as the BBC, do not use non-disclosure
agreements to silence people who complain about bullying in the
workplace?
We have regular conversations with colleagues in DCMS. Some
non-disclosure agreements have a commercial benefit, but the hon.
Gentleman is absolutely right that inappropriate non-disclosure
agreements must be stamped out.
Aviation: Decarbonisation
(Bexhill and Battle) (Con)
10. What steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for
Transport to help support the aviation sector to decarbonise.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
The Jet Zero Council, which is jointly chaired by my right hon.
Friends the Secretaries of State for Business and for Transport,
brings together industry leaders and the Government to discuss
how best to reduce the impact of aviation on our environment. The
recently published net zero strategy provides the framework, and
the commitment made in the Budget to extend funding for the
Aerospace Technology Institute to 2031 demonstrates the
importance that the Government attach to making progress on this
issue.
The issue with sustainable aviation fuel is not how to produce
it—we can do that—but how to bring the price down so that there
is a return on capital and an investment case for it, as there is
for renewables. What more can the Government do to support
sustainable aviation fuels, and does the Minister agree that we
need a global approach to the solution?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight the challenges of
bringing the cost down, as is the case in so many areas of the
net zero strategy, but progress is being made. We are keen to
support the development of new technology solutions. He will know
that we have set out an ambition for 10% of the UK’s aviation
fuel to be SAF by 2030. We recognise the challenge of the cost,
but I know that my hon. Friend, in his capacity as Chair of the
Transport Committee, has announced an inquiry into the matter; I
look forward to working with him and understanding the
conclusions and proposals that he puts forward.
(Bristol East) (Lab)
It has just been revealed that the Transport Secretary is
spending departmental money to lobby against the development of
private airfields. This includes lobbying against plans to build
a battery gigafactory at Coventry airport. What hope do we have
of decarbonising transport when the very Cabinet member
responsible for that brief is more interested in having somewhere
to land his private jet? What conversations is BEIS having with
the Department for Transport to ensure that it takes this matter
seriously?
I am not sure that this is Transport questions, but it is a
question in that spirit. I understand that my right hon. Friend
the Secretary of State absolutely disputes the description that
has just been given by the hon. Lady. On her question, there is a
huge amount of work under way to try to decarbonise aviation, as
demonstrated in the announcements last week at COP and the work
that the Government have been doing for a number of years. We
will continue to do that to ensure that we hit the net zero
target by 2050.
Renewable Energy
(Broxtowe) (Con)
11. What steps his Department is taking to support the renewable
energy sector.
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy ()
We are holding the largest ever contracts for difference round
next month, as my hon. Friend is aware, and only last month we
confirmed up to £160 million to support investment in the
floating offshore wind industry.
The Government have quite rightly taken action to accelerate
uptake of electric vehicles by both subsidising those purchasing
a new electric car and banning the sale of petrol and diesel
vehicles from 2030. However, in my capacity as co-chair of the
all-party midlands engine group, I recognise that vast areas of
the midlands are insufficiently served with charging
infrastructure. The Midlands Engine’s 10-point plan for green
growth looks to tackle this issue. Will the Minister meet me to
discuss how we can support the Midlands Engine Partnership,
deliver greener transport, create jobs, and cut emissions?
I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend and the Midlands
Engine Partnership to discuss how we can decarbonise our economy.
I know he does a fabulous jobs as co-chair of the APPG. I have
always enjoyed my engagement not only with him but with the
Midlands Engine Partnership.
(East Antrim) (DUP)
Does the Secretary of State at least accept that immediate
environmental damage is being caused by the pursuit of renewable
energy, with 13 million trees cut down in Scotland for wind
farms, forests devastated across the world to produce ethanol for
petrol, and Drax power station importing millions of tonnes of
wood from America each year? Does he not accept that in an
attempt to control the world’s climate, we are actually damaging
the environment right now?
The right hon. Gentleman and I have exchanged differing views on
this subject over many years now. What I do accept is that our
drive—our push—for renewables is leading the world in pursuing a
decarbonised economy.
(Redcar) (Con)
The Secretary of State is well aware that Teesside is the centre
of the green industrial revolution. In building new renewable
energy capacity, can he confirm that he is happy to visit
Teesside to see our plans for linking that renewable energy with
green hydrogen production to power our homes in Teesside?
Perhaps to the surprise of the House, I can confirm that I am
always delighted to visit my hon. Friend. I have done so on many
occasions and I look forward to doing so whenever he wants and
whenever my diary permits.
(Greenwich and Woolwich)
(Lab)
In a speech last month to the Energy UK conference, the Secretary
of State made the case for a decisive shift towards clean energy
and away from what he termed “volatile fossil fuels”, on which he
said
“we are still very dependent, perhaps too dependent”.
Will he therefore explain how a decision by the Government to
permit Cambo, an oilfield whose anticipated lifespan would see it
still producing oil four years before we are legally bound to
reach net zero, would be anything other than fundamentally at
odds with that vision?
The hon. Gentleman will understand that the licences under which
Cambo was permitted were actually granted when his own party was
in government. He will also appreciate that I have always said
that there will be a transition. He and his Labour associates
want to shut down the industry and cause mass unemployment among
the 250,000 people in this country who work in the sector.
New Nuclear Power
(Peterborough) (Con)
12. What steps his Department is taking to increase nuclear power
generation.
(Fylde) (Con)
16. What steps he is taking to deliver new nuclear power
generation.
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy ()
This Government are doubling down on our plan to deploy more
home-grown, affordable clean energy in this country, and we are
putting new nuclear at the heart of that plan. In the past four
weeks alone, we have announced £1.7 billion allocated for a new
large-scale nuclear power station, a new nuclear Bill to boost
private capital and cut build costs, £210 million to back
Rolls-Royce’s small modular reactor plan, and £120 million for
future nuclear projects—new nuclear made and manufactured here in
Britain.
I welcome my right hon. Friend’s commitment to increasing the
generation of renewable energy in the UK and attracting
investment in our renewable energy sector, especially the nuclear
energy industry. The green industrial revolution is well under
way in Peterborough. Will he join me in congratulating Peter
Brotherhood, a manufacturer of 150 years standing, whose modular
steam turbine offering, manufactured in the heart of my city of
Peterborough, can promote further innovation in the nuclear
energy sector?
A previous question referred to Teesside as the centre of the
green industrial revolution, but Peterborough is also one of the
great centres in this country of the green industrial revolution,
and there is no better champion of that than my hon. Friend, who
is right at the centre of it. He is right that the £120 million
nuclear innovation fund will create options for future nuclear
capability, including the recent Rolls-Royce small modular
reactors, which have £210 million of funding. There are plenty of
opportunities there for his constituents to get into, and I thank
him for his championing of the green industrial revolution.
I welcome the Government’s commitment to a new generation of
nuclear power plants, representing a big step in our move towards
net zero. Fylde, as the home of Springfields, the UK’s only civil
nuclear manufacturing plant, will be playing its part in this
transition, but following the recent announcements of the £210
million in new Government funding for Roll-Royce SMRs, what steps
is the Minister taking to ensure that the fuel for the next
generation of nuclear power will be manufactured in the UK, and
in Lancashire?
There is plenty of interest in Lancashire, Mr Speaker. My hon.
Friend knows that I am well aware of how important Springfields
is. In fact, we had meetings in the Department about it, as it is
the only civil nuclear fuel manufacturing plant, as he rightly
points out. It will play an important role as we further develop
our new nuclear capability. I am looking forward to working very
closely with my hon. Friend, who is a consistent champion of
nuclear in this country.
(Strangford) (DUP)
Northern Ireland does not have any nuclear power generation
possibilities, but can the Minister outline how Northern Ireland
can benefit from nuclear power, because we want to have the
opportunity, the same as the rest of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland?
We are a Government for the whole United Kingdom. The hon. Member
will know that Northern Ireland is importantly different from
Great Britain in its electricity generation, grid and network.
Overall, the UK’s nuclear capability will offer fantastic job
opportunities—high-skill, high-tech jobs—for people from right
the way across the United Kingdom, including Northern
Ireland.
Greener Homes
(Twickenham) (LD)
13. What steps his Department is taking to support greener,
better-insulated homes.
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy ()
We are decarbonising heat through the renewable heat incentive,
with an estimated £1 billion this year, and we have announced the
boiler upgrade scheme, the green heat network fund and the launch
of the green gas support scheme later this month.
Zero carbon homes was a Liberal Democrat policy that the Tories
scrapped after the coalition. That means we now need to retrofit
a million new homes. Will the Secretary of State commit to a zero
carbon homes standard once again for all new homes built in this
country?
I am pleased to inform the hon. Lady that we have a heat and
building strategy that sets out clear plans and clear ambitions
for decarbonising heat, particularly sources of heat in buildings
and in homes.
Energy-intensive Businesses
(High Peak) (Con)
14. What steps he is taking to support energy-intensive
businesses.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
We have continued to engage extensively with energy-intensive
companies, including by visits from me as recently as yesterday.
We want to understand their concerns and help secure a
competitive and viable future for industries, which support so
many high-skilled, high-wage jobs across the UK.
High Peak is home to the UK’s largest quarries and much of our
lime production industry. Those lime producers are essential for
construction, engineering and infrastructure, but they are being
hit by a double whammy of soaring global energy prices and an
outdated UK emissions trading system, which is still benchmarked
at the old EU level, geared towards European plants operating to
a significantly lower standard and also in receipt of generous
state subsidy. The UK’s lime producers are committed to doing
their bit to tackle climate change, but the current benchmark is
unachievable given their production chemistry. I urge the
Minister to urgently review the UK’s emissions trading system
benchmark for lime producers.
As a fellow Derbyshire MP, I know how much of a loud, independent
and big voice my hon. Friend gives to High Peak since his
election in 2019. I am proud to work with him. On this specific
subject, we know there are long-term challenges for industries
and individual sectors, and we are grateful for his comments. I
am happy to meet him to talk more about this, if that would be
helpful.
Net Zero Emissions by 2050
(Sittingbourne and
Sheppey) (Con)
15. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the cost
of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of driving
down the cost of transition to tread more lightly on the Earth
over the long term. Significant progress has already been made in
the cost of technologies such as solar panels, and the recently
published net zero strategy commits to working with business to
realise further economic opportunities.
While I welcome that answer, does the Minister agree that
achieving net zero emissions will depend on individual
householders? Many people in my constituency are finding it
difficult to afford their fuel bills, even without the cost
involved in installing new heating systems such as heat pumps.
What can the Government do to help those people?
My hon. Friend is right that we must work with householders and
businesses on a longer-term basis so that we can deliver the net
zero ambitions we set ourselves by 2050. As the Minister for
Business, Energy and Corporate Responsibility has highlighted a
number of times, we are trying to drive down the cost of
technology over the long term. A number of firms have come
forward on some of the technologies we hope to use, such as heat
pumps, and have indicated it should be possible to do that.
Topical Questions
(High Peak) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy ()
First, I congratulate the COP26 President, my right hon. Friend
the Member for Reading West (), on his adept handling of the
COP26 negotiations in Glasgow. My Department’s priority now is to
turn all that ambition into concrete action. We will continue to
attract private investment into green projects, and I am happy to
announce that in recent weeks we have seen nearly £10 billion of
new commitments at the Global Investment Summit, with £1 billion
from SABIC on Teesside, and £230 million announced by Ford on
Merseyside. We are getting on with the job of delivering a
stronger economy for the UK.
I have recently been contacted by Prisma Colour, another
fantastic local business in High Peak that does really important
work. Unfortunately, it has been hit by a more than doubling of
its energy bills in recent months, which is simply not
sustainable. I welcome what the Government are trying to do in
the long run to ease supply pressures and help energy-intensive
industries to bring down bills, but what can be done in the short
term to help fantastic employers such as Prisma Colour?
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the excellent work he has
done in a short time, representing his constituency. He knows
that across Government we have regular conversations about how to
help energy-intensive industries, and I would be happy to meet
him and his constituents to discuss what we are doing.
(Doncaster North) (Lab)
I join the Secretary of State in commending the COP26 President
on the progress made at COP26, but we know much greater action is
required, and it is the Secretary of State’s job to ensure that
every part of our Government acts. There is an immediate test
with the UK-Australia trade deal: yesterday, the Australian
Government reaffirmed their 2030 target, which is consistent only
with 4° of warming, and there are reports that our Government
have allowed the watering down of temperature targets in that
deal. Surely, if we are serious after Glasgow about not letting
big emitters off the hook, the deal must be rewritten to enshrine
in it a proper plan for Australia as well as the UK, including
for 2030, to keep 1.5° alive.
The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right: we have a duty to
ensure that we put net zero at the centre in treaties and in our
international obligations. Where I dispute with him is that the
Australian deal does mention Paris climate ambitions and does
commit to decarbonisation. Lastly, for the first time ever, the
Australian Government have committed to net zero. That is a huge
achievement, which I wish he would support and endorse.
The Secretary of State should not be defending the Australian
Government’s 2030 target. It is he who said about the
negotiations:
“There may have been an issue about specifically putting the 1.5°
on the face of the negotiating mandate.”
It is time for the Government not only to talk tough, but to act
tough, because we must put pressure on countries such as
Australia. There is a clear pattern of behaviour here on climate.
Too often, this Government face both ways: the Cumbria coal mine,
the Cambo oil field, cutting overseas aid for the most vulnerable
countries, cutting air passenger duty for domestic flights and
failing to invest in green recovery at home. He is the man
supposed to be in charge of ensuring the Government speak with
one voice. Why does he think he is failing to do so? Is that the
reason why people are calling for the COP26 President to take
back control of energy and climate change?
The COP26 President did a marvellous job, and the person speaking
with two voices is the right hon. Gentleman. On the one hand, he
says COP was a great success, and then on the other hand, he is
saying the Government have failed. It is inconsistent and it is
implausible.
(East Devon) (Con)
T4. Cleaner and greener aviation is undoubtedly the future,
and Exeter airport is at the forefront of innovation in
aerospace. This summer, we saw the first hybrid electric test
flight on a commercial route, between Exeter and Newquay, thanks
to support from this Government and this Department. What further
steps will my hon. Friend take to support innovative green
aviation to help it really take off?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that we have made huge
progress so far or we have made a good start in trying to achieve
decarbonised flight, and we will continue to do that. It is
examples such as the fantastic work demonstrated over the summer,
which I know he was present for, at Exeter airport, supported by
the Department for Business, that will allow us to meet our
long-term ambitions in this sector.
(Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op)
T2. A loophole in company law means that Bain Capital does
not have to reveal how much it is paying the army of advisers
helping it demutualise Liverpool Victoria. FTI Consulting,
Clifford Chance, Fenchurch Advisory Partners and others have all
benefited, perhaps by as much as £50 million or more. Does the
Secretary of State not think that the members of Liverpool
Victoria, whose money this is, have a right to know exactly how
their money is being spent?
The hon. Gentleman will know, from his long experience in this
House, that many of these issues relate to financial disclosure,
which is obviously in the remit of my right hon. Friend the
Chancellor. I am particularly interested in this deal. I think he
is absolutely right that people who are shareholders and people
who are customers have every right to transparent data, and I
would very much support that.
(Ashfield) (Con)
T6. Carl Berridge’s company in Ashfield produces
energy-saving boilers and heating solutions for industry, and he
tells me that many businesses are unaware that new technologies
can substantially reduce their energy consumption in a
cost-effective way. What are the Government doing to ensure that
industry gets the right information and businesses such as
Powergas have the incentives they need to reduce the carbon
footprint of industry?
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the work he does in Ashfield
and for his incredible voice in this regard. He is right to
highlight how technology will take much of the weight of the
transition over the next 30 years, and the importance therefore
of companies supporting such technology development. We are
engaging with businesses, and we will continue to do so, through
programmes such as boosting access for SMEs on energy efficiency.
I am happy to talk to my hon. Friend about that if it helps.
(Glasgow East) (SNP)
T3. Last month, I met Ed Burns, the managing director of H.
Grossman Ltd, a toy company based in Glasgow East. Alongside the
British Toy & Hobby Association, it is concerned about the
growing number of unsafe toys being sold to UK customers by
third-party sellers via online marketplaces. Will the Minister
meet us to discuss the campaign to tighten up safety on
children’s toys?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
I thank the hon. Gentleman for that. The Office for Product
Safety and Standards, over the period since the campaign was
launched in April, has taken 10,000 unsafe products off the
market, and it continues to work to identify products
available online that pose a serious risk. We are reviewing the
UK’s product safety framework in this area, but I will happily
meet the hon. Gentleman.
(Bexleyheath and Crayford)
(Con)
T7. I welcome the steps the Government have taken in the
last month to reinvigorate the UK’s nuclear industry. Does my
right hon. Friend agree with me that, thanks to this investment,
we will have a cleaner, greener and more secure energy system
that is less dependent on volatile fossil fuels?
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy ()
I thank my right hon. Friend for his long-standing interest in
this question. He will certainly know that, although nuclear is
16% of our current electricity generation, 12 of the 13 current
nuclear power plants will be decommissioned or will no longer be
producing by 2030. It is absolutely vital that we renew our
nuclear capability, and I look forward to my right hon. Friend
helping and supporting us in that effort.
(Warwick and Leamington)
(Lab)
T5. A month ago, the Secretary of State claimed that he had
not commented on the Aquind project, yet two years before he had
actually written to Alexander Temerko, just three days after
seeing him at the Conservative conference, to confirm the
Government’s support for the project. Will the Secretary of State
now correct the record, confirm that he has indeed commented on
the Aquind project and recuse himself from the decision-making
process?
Mr Speaker—[Interruption.] I will answer that question, because
the Secretary of State is due to make a decision on the
application by 21 January 2022, and the Secretary of State of
course has a quasi-judicial role in determining this live
planning application so it would not be appropriate to comment on
specific matters regarding the proposals as that might be seen as
prejudicing the decision-making process.
Nickie Aiken (Cities of London and Westminster) (Con)
T8. May I first pay tribute to the BEIS ministerial team for
its outstanding work during the pandemic to support businesses in
central London, and particularly the Minister for London, my hon.
Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (), who I know has worked
tirelessly, and I thank him? What I am hearing now as we rebuild
our economy is that businesses across the Cities of London and
Westminster are seeing a real rise in vacancies, which is
inhibiting their ability to repair their balance sheets and
recover their cash reserves and has halted their ability to grow
their businesses. We have got the jobs, where are the workers?
What steps is the Minister for London taking to help businesses
even further, particularly in the hospitality, retail and leisure
sectors?
As Minister for London, every time I go and see a business or
business representative organisation my hon. Friend has been
there before to champion the Cities of London and Westminster and
the central activity zone in London which is so important for the
culture and ecosystem of our great city. We want to build a
high-wage, high-skill economy, and the retail, leisure and
hospitality sectors are at the heart of that. The strategy will
include the reopening and we will build resilience through
increased staff supply.
(East Renfrewshire)
(SNP)
T9. This UK Government are simply failing to support
Scotland’s potential for green investment. We have heard as much
today: the UK’s most advanced carbon capture and storage proposal
shelved; grid connection charges punishing Scotland’s renewable
energy projects; and funding for tidal power held up as the Prime
Minister dithers. Having squandered £350 billion of oil revenues
from the North sea, can the Secretary of State appreciate why
there are concerns that his Government will simply do the same
with our vast energy resources?
I remind the hon. Lady that this Government are the first UK
Government to commit to a North sea transition deal. That deal is
a world first; it is leading the world and showing how we can
decarbonise a historically very productive sector to drive new
technology and new economic opportunity.
(Bridgend) (Con)
T10. I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Infinite
Renewables in my constituency, which has done great work
facilitating renewable projects across the UK. It pointed out to
me that the strike price for nuclear power provides generous
support to nuclear projects, but those supported by private wire
power purchasing agreements in the renewables sector get very
little support. What are the Government doing to facilitate
private wire PPA renewables in the UK?
I welcome Infinite’s work supporting renewable projects and my
hon. Friend’s engagement in this. PPAs can improve the financial
viability of renewables built without Government support. We
anticipate that PPAs will complement Government mechanisms such
as the contracts for difference scheme. Officials are
investigating whether Government can play a role in encouraging
further growth in the PPA market, and of course I am happy to
meet my hon. Friend on this at any time.
(Edinburgh South West)
(SNP)
As my hon. Friend the Member for East Renfrewshire () said, Scotland’s
world-leading carbon capture and storage project at St Fergus was
snubbed by the Government in favour of their pork-barrel
interests in the red wall. Will the Secretary of State guarantee
the Acorn team funding in the next round, or should we conclude
that Scotland can only decarbonise with independence?
Again, I have to completely refute what the hon. and learned Lady
says. The position is absolutely clear: Acorn was an excellent
project and is on the reserve list, and I am looking forward to
working with her constructively to make sure we land this very
exciting project.
(Broadland) (Con)
The sooner the offshore transmission network is constructed in
the southern North sea, the better. It will save money for
consumers and limit the damage to local communities and the
environment. So will the Minister commit to restarting the
previously planned consultation on a regulated asset base finance
model for renewables and low-carbon energy-generating assets as
soon as possible?
I thank my hon. Friend for his continual engagement on this
issue. He will know that I met his colleagues in the OffSET group
of MPs—the Off Shore Electricity Grid Task Force—very recently.
On the offshore transmission network review, Ofgem has consulted
on options for delivery models for offshore connections,
including a regulated asset base approach. There continues to be
ongoing work, and I am looking forward to meeting my hon. Friend
at the next meeting of OffSET, or individually.
(South Shields) (Lab)
Under this Government, the gig economy workforce has trebled in
the last five years, fire and rehire is accepted, zero-hours
contracts are supported, inadequate sick pay is ignored, and
sanctions for non-payment of the minimum wage are absolutely
pitiful. Why, then, did the Government ditch their own employment
Bill and block the private Member’s Bill introduced by my hon.
Friend the Member for Brent North ()?
The UK has one of the best employment rights records in the
world. We have made good progress in bringing forward measures
that add flexibility for workers while ensuring the protection of
employment rights, such as banning the use of exclusivity clauses
in zero-hours contracts and legislating to extend the right to a
written statement of core terms of employment to all workers. We
will continue to make sure that we consider options to improve
clarity on employment status, and we will bring forward an
employment Bill as soon as parliamentary time allows.
(Waveney) (Con)
In Suffolk and Norfolk, investment in research and development is
vital to making the most of the opportunities emerging in such
sectors as low carbon and life sciences, as well as to tackling
pockets of deprivation, particularly in coastal areas. It is thus
concerning that, in the Budget Red Book, the east of England is
coupled with London and the south-east as an area from which
spending on R&D will be diverted and in which it will be
discouraged. Will my right hon. Friend work with his colleagues
across Government to ensure that this discrimination against
Suffolk and Norfolk is removed and is not included in the
levelling-up White Paper?
I pay tribute to the fantastic work that my hon. Friend has done
representing his constituents over 11 and a half years. He will
know that I personally, as a Minister, have always been committed
to the east of England. I have visited him in Lowestoft, I have
visited offshore wind projects, and I would be very happy to
speak to him about how we can drive the R&D programme and how
East Anglia and his constituents can benefit from the UK’s
science superpower status.
(North Antrim) (DUP)
Is it not the case that the most exciting industrial development
in the UK at present is hydrogen production? Does the Secretary
of State welcome the pioneering work by JCB, under Lord Bamford’s
direction, along with the partnership with Queen’s University
Belfast, to produce the first working hydrogen combustion engine,
which has made the past the future? What support will the
Secretary of State give to capitalise on that engineering
excellence to ensure that British jobs and British tech flow from
it?
The hon. Gentleman will be well aware that I am fully conscious
and fully supportive of the great work that Mr Bamford and his
colleagues are doing driving Wrightbus and driving the hydrogen
economy. The hon. Gentleman may know that I am very shortly to
visit to Northern Ireland to see that great work on the ground.
|
