Wednesday Volume 493 10 June 2009 No. 88 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 10 June 2009 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2009 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ Enquiries to the Office of Public Sector Information, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; Tel: 0044 (0) 208876344; e-mail: [email protected] 775 10 JUNE 2009 776 Jenny Willott (Cardiff, Central) (LD): Last year I House of Commons surveyed businesses in Cardiff that install and develop renewable technologies. The overwhelming majority said that business was falling because it was so difficult for Wednesday 10 June 2009 families to get grants to install those technologies in their homes and people could not afford them. Since The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock then, access to those grants has become even more difficult. Will the Secretary of State liaise with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that more money is available for PRAYERS families to install such technologies in their homes, so that we can ensure that this key Welsh industry can be developed and grow further? [MR.SPEAKER in the Chair] Mr. Hain: I very much agree with the hon. Lady that the more funding we can get to assist people to put renewable energy installations into their homes the better, Oral Answers to Questions but of course the UK budget under this Government provided an extra £1.4 billion in additional support for the low carbon economy. She may know that the Welsh Assembly Government have invested some £4.5 million WALES in the Carbon Trust to help it to develop its business plan. All of that funding is part of our investment The Secretary of State was asked— programme driving forward our objective of a low carbon economy. Low Carbon Industries Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire) (LD): I, too, congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on his return. 1. Albert Owen (Ynys Môn) (Lab): What recent He knows that I thought that it was utterly unjust that meetings he has had with ministerial colleagues on new he was pushed out of office on trumped-up charges; it is employment and training opportunities in low carbon good that he has now proved his innocence and returned industries in Wales. [278174] to the Front Bench. Montgomeryshire is a pioneer in low carbon industry The Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Peter Hain): It through the work of the Centre for Alternative Technology. is nice to be back, even though my appointment was However, it is concerned that local authorities in Wales marked by an earthquake a few miles from my home. spend less on school maintenance and upkeep than any May I also pay tribute to my close friend, my right hon. other council service, to the detriment of the environment. Friend the Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy), one of How can we expect to instil a sense of environmental Wales’s outstanding politicians? We have followed each responsibility and global citizenship if the next generation other in and out of this job for 10 years. He had regular is being taught in schools that are environmentally not such meetings with ministerial colleagues—in particular fit for use? through the National Economic Council—and I will continue to do so. Mr. Hain: The answer may well be to get a Labour county council, to provide the additional funding. I am Albert Owen: I thank the Secretary of State for that grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his remarks, and for answer, and I welcome him back to his role. I also pay the support that I have had across the House. He raises tribute to my right hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen an important question, and if there is any other help (Mr. Murphy) for the excellent contribution that he has that I can give him in securing his objectives I will be made in government to Wales and to the rest of the happytodoso. United Kingdom. Last Friday, I attended a skills building competition Mrs. Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham) (Con): at Coleg Menai in my constituency, where I saw at first As this could be the last time that I am at the Dispatch hand young craftsmen and students learning and developing Box under your auspices, Mr. Speaker, may I take this skills for the future. Does the Secretary of State agree opportunity to thank you for your courtesy towards me that Wales is well placed to be at the forefront of the and my Front-Bench team and for your service to this green revolution to come, and does he further agree that House, and to wish you well? we need a skills sharing strategy to build a pool of skills in energy generation for the future, including renewables, In welcoming the return of the new Secretary of clean coal and nuclear power? State, I also wish to express my admiration for his predecessor. I have enjoyed working with the right hon. Mr. Hain: I completely agree with my hon. Friend, Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy), a decent and who is an outstanding Member of Parliament for his straightforward man. We will miss his common sense constituency. I am aware of the excellent training and dedication to Wales. I wonder what sort of Prime opportunities available at Coleg Menai, which have Minister we have, who can so easily dispense with his been achieved through additional funding of £4 million services. from the Welsh Assembly Government for its energy In January the Government announced a £2.3 billion and fabrication centre. That funding would be slashed if scheme for the car industry, including £1 billion to help the Conservative party ever got into power. it develop low carbon technologies. The German, French 777 Oral Answers10 JUNE 2009 Oral Answers 778 and Italian Governments have all delivered on their Wales and rail links, particularly in constituencies such schemes. What has happened to the money for British as mine, where the docks are so important and where and Welsh companies, and why are they the last to there are competing needs on rail and freight matters? receive the help that was promised? Mr. David: My hon. Friend has referred to another Mr. Hain: The money is coming through, although it important issue. It is vital for the port of Swansea, would be threatened if the Conservatives ever got into which is a dynamic and vital part of the south Wales power. I echo the hon. Lady’s remarks about you, economy, to be fully integrated into the transport network Mr. Speaker. We have worked together for a long time. I of south Wales as a whole. I know that the Welsh am also grateful for the welcome that the hon. Lady Affairs Committee, of which my hon. Friend is a member, gave me. I have been very fond of her over the years and will be studying this issue in the near future and plans to I was glad to see that she survived the twin gaffes of visit different parts of the European Union to learn advertising for a researcher for whom knowledge of lessons. It is vital that we move as quickly as we can devolution was “desirable but not necessary”, and letting towards having a comprehensive, integrated and intermodal the cat out of the bag on plans to reverse the devolution transport system in south Wales and throughout Wales of higher education. as a whole. Port Security Mr. David Jones (Clwyd, West) (Con): Port security in Wales is the joint responsibility of the four Welsh 2. Mr. Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire) (Con): police forces, but the chief constable of North Wales What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary has suggested that national standards for counter-terrorism of State for the Home Department on levels of border policing are forever unattainable. Does the Minister security at Welsh ports. [278175] acknowledge that the current fragmented model for policing our ports is no longer adequate, and will he The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales urge the Home Secretary to listen to the advice of Lord (Mr. Wayne David): Recently, the number of staff at Stevens, who has concluded that only a dedicated national ports of entry into Wales has increased significantly. border security force can protect our ports properly? The UK Border Agency has recently reopened its office at Pembroke Dock. Mr. David: The hon. Gentleman will be aware that greater integration is already taking place. We have seen Mr. Crabb: I thank the Minister for that reply. I, too, changes with regard to the UK Border Agency, and in would like to welcome the right hon. Member for Neath Pembroke Dock, for example, which the hon. Member (Mr. Hain) back to this important office of state. He for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Mr. Crabb) mentioned, we will be aware that since he last held that office, operations are seeing that integration taking place. We have seen, have begun at the first of two major liquefied natural before our very eyes, members of staff being trained in gas facilities at Milford Haven and work has begun on a range of activities so that they can comprehensively the new 2,000 MW power station at Pembroke. Near fulfil their role. In Wales as a whole, greater co-operation the port of Milford Haven, a major concentration of and co-ordination between police forces is vital. That is vital energy infrastructure is emerging, comprising firmly on the agenda, and both the Wales Office and the important oil, gas and power facilities.