(Middlesbrough South and East
Cleveland) (Con): Contrary to what the shadow Secretary of State
said in his closing remarks, Net Zero Teesside is a reality. It
is going up as we speak, backed by Shell
Equinor and BP—real companies investing in a real project that is
transformational not just for the industries of the future, but
our existing industrial base in steel, chemicals, plastics and
all those industries which emit carbon dioxide as an intrinsic
part of their production, not just in terms of the emissions
released as part of energy generation, but as a by-product. That
is why carbon capture is so vital. That is why it was so welcome
that it was backed strongly in the Budget last week. We had a
welcome decision on new nuclear and its classification as a
sustainable technology, which is absolutely right and vital for
the future. I welcome warmly the position to keep Hartlepool
nuclear power station producing for two more years...
(Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
(Alba):...The Chancellor spoke about
“enterprise, employment, education and everywhere.”—[Official
Report, 15 March 2023; Vol. 729, c. 837.]
None of those opportunities is coming to Scotland. There are no
jobs in construction, no jobs in the service industry for
renewable technologies, and no jobs in the supply chain. The
energy is cabled south by an undersea connect; it is just taken
from Scotland. My constituency has Mossmorran petrochemical
plant, which processes various gas components piped down from St
Fergus in the north-east of Scotland. It is a strategically
important place because it is an ideal test bed for
Exxon, Shell and
Avanti to use their carbon capture technologies, but this
Government do not support carbon capture in Scotland. They do not
support the Acorn project in the north-east of Scotland...
(Cardiff North) (Lab):...On
fuel poverty, Friends of the Earth has just released data showing
that at least 5 million households, or one in every five, are now
in fuel poverty in England and Wales. My constituents are paying
double in energy bills what they were paying a year ago. My
constituent Lauren and her partner are both disabled and were
told by Shell Energy,
without warning, that they are in debt by £5,000. They are both
trying to remain positive, but this has really pushed them over
the edge. How many more testimonies like that must we hear before
the Government develop a conscience and introduce meaningful
change?
