Great British Energy Bill

Debate between Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist and Lord Hamilton of Epsom

Committee stage
Monday 13th January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)]

My Lords, I support these amendments. I have certain reservations about my noble friend Lady Bloomfield’s Amendment 78, because it assumes these investments will make money. I have a bit of a problem with that. The real difficulty, as we have discussed, is that all the low-hanging fruit when it comes to investment in renewable energy has already been picked by the private sector. It does this quite simply by calculating a return on guaranteed income. Therefore, what worries me is that Great British Energy will be left picking up the bits that other people do not want to touch. The chances of it making money are probably quite small. Of course, it will have to count off the losses against the profits, so you need to have something at the end of the day. I know that the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, has achieved something little short of miraculous by investing other people’s money and actually making money, but that is an exception rather than the rule. The chances of Great British Energy squandering billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money are rather higher than it making any profits for anybody.

Clearly, accountability is very important when it comes to these sorts of sums. We should do everything we can to ensure that taxpayers’ money is looked after in the best way possible. Everybody should have great reservations about believing—to come back to the point I made earlier—that politicians are able to pick winners. The record on this has been absolutely abysmal. The chances of more money being lost than made are, I am afraid, very great indeed.

[Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist (Con)]

My Lords, I urge the Minister to give serious consideration to the amendments in this group. They are designed not only to strengthen the accountability and transparency of Great British Energy but to ensure that the promises made to the British public, particularly on national security and economic prudence, are fully delivered. During the last election, the party opposite made numerous promises to the British people, including a commitment that Great British Energy would first and foremost protect and benefit the British people. At the same time, we must remember that this is not just about creating another energy company but about establishing a cornerstone of national resilience—an entity that must operate with the highest standards of responsibility, transparency and accountability to the taxpayers who are entrusting it with significant public funds.

My noble friends’ amendments reflect three core principles: fiscal restraint, operational transparency and the safeguarding of national interests. As we consider these amendments, whether on reinvesting profits into the company, ensuring strict investment criteria or introducing greater scrutiny of foreign involvement, I urge us to draw from the examples set by the erstwhile UK Infrastructure Bank. When the bank was established, it was supported by clear frameworks for accountability, transparency and rigorous oversight, ensuring that taxpayer money was spent efficiently and aligned with national priorities. Let us learn from this experience and ensure that Great British Energy, in its critical role in our national energy strategy, is similarly held to account.

We must remember that the future of energy is not just about ensuring supply but about safeguarding our economy, our security and the well-being of future generations. By taking these steps, we will ensure that Great British Energy not only is accountable to the public but operates with the highest standards of governance, efficiency and integrity. The amendments before us are crucial to delivering that vision and I commend them to your Lordships, but at this stage I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill [HL]

Debate between Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist and Lord Hamilton of Epsom

Report stage & Lords Hansard - part three
Monday 6th December 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist (Con)]

I thank my noble friend Lord Robathan for introducing Amendment 46 in the name of my noble friend Lord Howard of Rising, which would insert a clause that would repeal the Bill after five years. I am very grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Hayman of Ullock, for pointing out that sunset clauses are needed more for emergency legislation.

The Government have laid the Bill before Parliament because there is an ongoing benefit from a targeted mechanism that provides greater transparency for the consideration of animal welfare in central government policy decisions. However, we know that this must be done in a timely and proportionate way. Animal welfare considerations will not cease to be relevant in five years’ time, so it is hard to understand why the committee’s work should be brought to an abrupt halt at that point. It is the Government’s considered view that it would be plainly wrong for the Bill to expire after five years, as the animal sentience committee will have plenty to contribute beyond that time.

That is not to say, of course, that there will not be a review of processes to ensure that the Bill and the committee continue to fulfil their objectives well. As indicated in the committee’s draft terms of reference, we plan to ensure that it is subject to annual performance reviews. Defra will ultimately be accountable for the committee’s ongoing effectiveness and good governance. In addition, the Bill will be subject to the standard post-legislative scrutiny process, including a review of its effectiveness. That will take place within five years of Royal Assent. I hope that that reassures noble Lords and that my noble friend will be content to withdraw the amendment.

[Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)]

Before my noble friend sits down, does she not feel that a sunset clause might in fact be to the great benefit of the Government, because they would not need to have the dramatic act of wrapping up the committee and the Act; it would merely come to its own conclusion? If, on the other hand—unlikely, in my opinion, but not impossible—the committee was doing extremely well, legislation could be introduced to continue it. It is not difficult to extend the life of an Act; it is much more difficult to abolish an Act altogether. If it lapsed automatically, it might be to the advantage of the Government in the future, rather than their disadvantage.

[Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist (Con)]

I do not agree with my noble friend, because the committee’s work will be ongoing, and it will also respond to changes in scientific research that may come out in the course of its many years of work. To introduce a hard stop—a hard deadline—to its work would be both unnecessary and impractical.

Metropolitan Police Report by Sir Richard Henriques

Debate between Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist and Lord Hamilton of Epsom

Monday 30th September 2019 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist]

As always, my noble friend’s interruptions are very welcome.

[Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)]

My Lords, does my noble friend share my concerns about the police investigating crimes against people who are dead and incapable of defending themselves in court?

[Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist]

That is surely why we are having these discussions in your Lordships’ House and why these reports are being so carefully considered by all sides.