Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
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Tuesday Volume 623 14 March 2017 No. 124 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 14 March 2017 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2017 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 157 14 MARCH 2017 158 policies in 2012, will the Government conduct an urgent House of Commons review and impose a moratorium on new subsidies for biomass? Tuesday 14 March 2017 Mr Hurd: As the hon. Gentleman knows, we have reviewed and adjusted subsidies in relation to biomass, and we keep that under regular review. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Dr Monaghan: Given that Scotland’s renewable energy will be cheaper than that produced at Hinkley by the PRAYERS time it is complete and that Brexit is already pushing up the build costs of these reactors in an environment [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] where the UK Government have unilaterally decided to abandon the protection of Euratom, will you scrap the costly and inefficient nuclear obsession in favour of a low-carbon future? Oral Answers to Questions Mr Speaker: The hon. Gentleman invests me with powers that I do not possess; that is very good of him. BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL Mr Hurd: Frankly, previous Governments neglected STRATEGY their responsibility to this country to invest in upgrading its power infrastructure, but this Government are grasping that challenge. As I have said, few countries have done The Secretary of State was asked— more to make the transition to cleaner energy, with a Low-carbon Economy trebling of capacity in renewable electricity, and the commitment to Hinkley offers us the potential for 7% of 1. Deidre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith) (SNP): the country’s electricity—low-carbon based power. What steps he is taking to support the transition to a low-carbon economy. [909221] Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight) (Con): Colleagues in both Houses have signed an offshore blade made by 4. Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): MHI Vestas on the Isle of Wight, which is also arranging What steps he is taking to support the transition to a a schools outreach programme. Does my hon. Friend low-carbon economy. [909224] agree that this sort of initiative raises awareness of how low-carbon renewable energy technology can ensure 14. Dr Paul Monaghan (Caithness, Sutherland and that the UK reaches its potential of exporting its first-class Easter Ross) (SNP): What steps he is taking to support engineering and advanced manufacturing worldwide? the transition to a low-carbon economy. [909235] Mr Hurd: I thank my hon. Friend for his question The Minister for Climate Change and Industry (Mr Nick and wholly endorse what he says. The Secretary of State Hurd): Between 1990 and 2015 the UK’s emissions have and I saw at first-hand when visiting the new Siemens fallen by over a third while our economy has grown by offshore wind blade turbine factory in Hull just what over 60%. Since 2010, Government policy has contributed this technology and engineering can do to inspire, in to a trebling of renewable electricity capacity and particular, young people in the area about opportunities encouraging the take-up of low-carbon heating and for employment in this exciting sector. ultra-low emission vehicles. Deidre Brock: I thank the Minister for his answer. Antoinette Sandbach (Eddisbury) (Con): Nuclear power Businesses in the Scottish renewables sector predict that is an important part of the transition to a low-carbon one in six jobs is at risk over the next six months due to economy. Will the Minister update us on the small changes in UK Government support. Will the Minister modular reactor competition? take action now to reverse those changes, to make sure we grasp the opportunities that our fantastic national Mr Hurd: I congratulate my hon. Friend on her energy resources provide? election to the Select Committee, and she is absolutely right: energy innovation is critical to both our future Mr Hurd: Few countries, certainly in Europe, have ability to reduce the cost of decarbonisation and unlocking done more than we have to expand renewable energy the industrial opportunities inside the low-carbon energy electricity capacity since 2010, and the low-carbon economy sector. We are reviewing our plans in relation to our sector now employs over 220,000 people. The hon. energy innovation portfolio. The nuclear industry is a Lady questions our continued commitment to renewable very important part of those plans, and I hope we will energy; I refer her to the public commitment to forthcoming have something to say very shortly. auctions to support the less mature renewable technologies. Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con): The Minister will be Alan Brown: A recent Chatham House report as well aware that we in the south-west do not share the Scottish as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial National party’s negative view of the Hinkley Point Strategy’s own following study on North American power station project, but will he reassure me about woody biomass both concluded that the use of these what work the Government will do to ensure that young pellets for energy production in the UK is high-carbon. people have the skills to take the jobs that will become Given that and that a review was promised of bio-energy available in these industries? 159 Oral Answers 14 MARCH 2017 Oral Answers 160 Mr Hurd: I thank my hon. Friend for correcting the look at the whole systems impact of electricity generation impression that investment in new jobs in the nuclear models, yet despite repeated parliamentary questions industry is somehow bad news, given the commitment and freedom of information requests the report has not that 65% of the content of Hinkley should be supplied been published. If the Government have nothing to from this country. Just as important is the contribution hide, why are they hiding things? it makes to upgrading our power infrastructure and making sure this country has the ability to access reliable Mr Hurd: I am not aware of hiding anything. I am low-carbon energy in the future. trying to make a point about diversity of energy supply. I would make a further point about prices, in answer Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Lab): Last week, the to the hon. Gentleman’s question. One of the most Budget failed to stop the 800% rise in business rates for encouraging things is the progress we have made in our companies that have installed solar panels. This week, policy structure on driving greater competition, through research published in the journal Nature Energy states contracts for difference, in order to get better prices for that to achieve our targets set out in the Paris agreement consumers and for the taxpayer from the public subsidies we need to set out longer-term plans beyond 2050, yet that are available. I hope that that will be evident very the Government have now dithered for five years and soon in the results of the forthcoming auctions. still refuse to publish their own implementation plan, even up to 2030. How does the Minister propose to increase our low-carbon exports when he cannot even UK Science set out how we will achieve our medium-term climate targets? 2. Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con): What assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels Mr Hurd: The hon. Gentleman accuses us of dithering, of funding for the UK science base. [909222] but our performance on emissions during the last Parliament was one of the most successful since 1990. He talks about delaying the emissions plan but he will know that The Minister for Universities, Science, Research and the fifth carbon budget was set only last July. This Innovation (Joseph Johnson): Weare committed to making country, and this Government, have a proud record of the UK the global go-to nation for scientists, innovators proving that we can reduce emissions while growing our and tech investors. That is why, as part of the industrial economy, and we will continue to build on that. strategy, we have announced an increase of £4.7 billion in public research and development funds—the biggest Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): With more increase in science support for 40 years. than 30 large wind turbines in the borough, Kettering is coming close to generating more green electricity than it Andrew Bridgen: I welcome the Government’s recent consumes, but what incentives are there in the business £14 million investment to develop space technologies in rates and planning systems to reward housing developments Leicester, including the university-led national space and business start-ups that are low carbon? park. What further steps could the Minister take to encourage the space industrial cluster in the midlands? Mr Hurd: I thank my hon. Friend for pointing out how much progress we are making at the local level as well as nationally on the transition to green power. This Joseph Johnson: The space industry has an important has been facilitated by substantial investment through role to play in driving growth across the UK, and the public subsidies and, as we look to encourage the Government are working closely with the sector to deployment of renewable energy through competitive make that a reality. I am pleased that the Leicester and markets—preferably subsidy free—we are looking at Leicestershire local enterprise partnership is grasping what else we can do to facilitate that using the tools this opportunity. The Satellite Applications Catapult available to the Government. has funded a centre of excellence in the east midlands for the past three years, focused on linking industry to Callum McCaig (Aberdeen South) (SNP): Our concern local and national expertise.