The Conservative Party Conference Energy Fringe Guide

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2015 Conservative Conference: Your energy guide

1 The 2015 Conservative Party Conference ...... 2 2 The Fringe Listings: What to look out for ...... 3 2.1 Monday 5th September 2015 ...... 3 2.2 Tuesday 6th October 2015 ...... 4

1 The 2015 Conservative Party Conference

Political Intelligence will be attending this year's Conservative Party Conference, which will be the first that the party has held in 18 years whilst having a majority government.

It will also be a first conference for Amber Rudd MP as the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change - a position previously held by the Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government. Energy was not central to the government's re-election campaign in 2015, and the party has been repeatedly criticised for what some feel is a poor track record in this area. However, in the Queen's Speech earlier this year one of the most prominent announcements was the introduction of an Energy Bill, currently at Committee stage in the House of Lords.

At the Labour Party Conference earlier this week, Amber Rudd's counterpart, the newly appointed Shadow Energy Secretary Lisa Nandy MP, attempted to articulate a clear new direction for Labour's energy policy. Contrary to the pledges made during Corbyn's leadership campaign, a Labour Government would NOT renationalise the energy sector but "democratise" it. "Localise" would have been a more accurate (but less clap-worthy) term, but nonetheless Labour's support for community- owned clean energy projects went down very well in the hall. Whilst currently lacking much substance, moving away from renationalisation and re-focusing on community-scale renewable generation has added some much needed credence to Labour's energy policy.

The Conservatives have an opportunity at this conference to clearly outline their energy plans for the course of this parliament. Amber Rudd is likely to spend a great deal of her time trying to refute claims that the party has backtracked on their supposed green credentials, following the recent bonfire of renewable subsidies and energy efficiency programmes. In the run up to UN Climate talks

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in Paris in December, many will be looking for signs that can promote energy policy that shows the kind of climate leadership that much of the world would expect from the UK.

Political Intelligence has put together this guide of energy fringe events you should look out for, including a few must-attend events.

2 The Fringe Listings: What to look out for

2.1 Monday 5th September 2015

7.30am - Clearing the Air: how to create smarter, more sustainable urban environments Chair: Professor Frank Kelly, Professor of Environmental Health - King's College London Speakers: Rory Stewart MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs (invited); Cllr Heather Acton, Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Parking, Westminster City Council; Nicky Pearce, Director, The Institute for Public Policy Research; Simon Birkett, Founder and Director, Clean Air in London Location: Manchester Central, Central 4

12.45pm - A switch in time: Can switching profit consumers and government? Speakers: Amber Rudd MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (invited); Nigel Keohane, Research Director, Social Market Foundation; Paul Galligan, Managing Director, comparethesupermarket.com Location: Manchester Central, Exchange 1

12.45pm - Developing a Vision for Energy in Buildings Chair: Damian Carrington, Head of Environment, the Guardian Speakers: Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP, Secretary of State, DECC; Dave Sowden, CEO, Sustainable Energy Association; Trevor Hutchings, Director of Advocacy, WWF; Peter Aldous MP, Deputy Chair, PRASEG Location: Midland Hotel, Lancaster

13.00pm - Green and Affordable: The Future of UK energy policy Chair: Richard Howard, Head of Energy and Environment, ; MP, Minister of State Department of Energy and Climate Change (invited); Dave Young, British Gas, James Heappey MP (invited), Professor Catherine Mitchell, University of Exeter (invited) Location: Novotel Manchester Centre, Chetham Suite

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17.45pm - The future of Nuclear Chair: Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue Speakers: Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change; Rt Hon Charles Hendry (Former Energy Minister); Peter Atherton, Managing Director, Jefferies International; Lord Matt Ridley; Lord John Hutton, Chair, Nuclear Industry Association Location: Manchester Town Hall, Committee Room 3

Please not that fringe events are subject to change.

2.2 Tuesday 6th October 2015

12.00pm - How can this government deliver genuine competition in the energy market and keep bills low? Chair: Paul Goodman, Editor, ConservativeHome; Amber Rudd MP, Energy Secretary; Martin Lewis, Founder, Money Saving Expert; Lawrence Slade, Chief Executive, Energy UK; Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive, Smart Energy GB Location: Manchester Central: ConservativeHome Marquee

13.00pm - Powered Up? HMG's Energy Policy - Right or Wrong? Chair: Dr Sheila Lawlor, Director, Politeia Speakers: Rt Hon Peter Lilley MP, Environmental Audit Committee; Dr Dan Poulter MP, Energy and Climate Change Committee, Peter Aldous MO, Environmental Audit Committee, Professor Kevin Anderson, University of Manchester Location: Arora Hotel, Charters Suite

13.30pm - Energy Productivity: Making energy work for business Chair: Richard Howard, Head of Energy and Environment, Policy Exchange Speakers: Rt Hon MP, Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise (invited); Wilfred Petrie, Cofely GDF Suez; Tim Rotheray, Association for Decentralised Energy Location: Novotel Manchester, Rylands Suite

16.30pm - The green global race: How can the UK get ahead? Balancing environmental policy with a strong economy Chair: Andrew Cumpsty, Chairman, The Enterprise Forum Speakers: Ministerial speaker to be confirmed; Sir Michael Arthur, President, Boeing UK; Dr Adam Marshall, Executive Director of Policy and External Affairs, British Chamber of Commerce Location: Manchester Central, ConservativeHome Marquee

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15.30pm -Energy Policy Dragon's Den: Putting consumers back at the heart of energy policy Chair: Richard Howard, Head of Energy and Environment, Policy Exchange Speakers: Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change; Jenny Saunders, NEA; Sara Vaughan, E.ON Location: Novotel Manchester, Rylands Suite

17.45pm - Paying Less for Energy Chair: Emily Gosden, Daily Telegraph (invited) Speakers: Jenny Saunders OBE, NEA; Peter Moorey, Which?, Rebecca Harris MP (invited); Lord Bourne (invited); Lawrence Slade, Energy UK Location: Midland Hotel: Fairclough

17.45pm - Powering Innovation: How can we promote the rise of independents in the UK's energy sector Chair: Damian Carrington, Head of Environment, Guardian Speakers: Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP, Secretary of State for Energy & Climate (invited); Peter Atherton Managing Director, Jefferies; Professor Dieter Helm, Professor of Energy Policy, University of Oxford (invited); Robert Groves, CEO, Smartest Energy Location: Manchester Central, Central 6

18.00pm - New Foundations for coherent energy policy Chair: Tim Knox, Director, CPS Speakers: Andrea Leadsom MP, Minister of State; Department of Energy and Climate Change; Ken Cronin, Chie Executive, UKOOG; Robert Lea, Industrial Editor, ; Tony Lodge, CPS Research Fellow and Author Location: Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel

21.30pm - Energy UK Reception Speaker: Lawrence Slade, CEO, Energy UK Location: Midland Hotel: Petersfield Suite

Please not that fringe events are subject to change.

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