Saudi East-West Oil Pipeline
Debate between Lord Grayling and Baroness Antrobus
Baroness Antrobus (Lab)
I thank my noble friend for his question. We know that people are worried about the cost of bills, as I said to noble Earl, Lord Russell. The Government are transitioning to clean energy to get off the fossil fuels rollercoaster and take back control of our energy bills. Today, a new grant package of £30 million was announced to support community energy projects. It is backed by Great British Energy, and will roll out a wave of local projects, allowing communities in every postcode to decide what they would like to invest in, be it solar panels on their local library or a community wind farm. I commend this project to the House.
Lord Grayling (Con)
My Lords, I refer Members to my entry in the register. This attack is simply part of a mounting threat to the Red Sea, which is far more than an energy route: it is one of the world’s most important trade routes. As part of the international community, the United Kingdom has previously played an active role in helping to keep that route open. Are we planning to do the same thing now?
Baroness Antrobus (Lab)
The noble Lord, Lord Grayling, makes an excellent point about the importance of that region. I speak as someone who, on an exchange tour with the Royal Navy, served in and sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea and into the Gulf, so I know the region well. The noble Lord is absolutely right about its importance to this country. But it is almost more important to other parts of the world, not least Asia, given the current crisis and the difficulties in getting through the strait to the south of where the incident took place. We must think of our allies around the world, some of whom will be more affected than we are. The best way to resolve such threats and activities is through diplomacy and working alongside our allies. I assure the noble Lord that we will continue that work.