Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Barker of Battle and Karl Turner

Thursday 10th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Karl Turner (Kingston upon Hull East) (Lab)]

5. What recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on attracting private sector investment into low-carbon technologies.

[The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker)]

Ministers in DECC have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues right across the coalition on new ways in which Government can attract private sector investment in low-carbon technologies. This includes discussions on the potential form and functions of Europe’s first green investment bank as part of the coalition Government’s comprehensive commitment to an ambitious green growth agenda.

[Karl Turner]

I am sure that the Minister will join me in congratulating the previous Labour Government on the work that they did to encourage E.ON and Siemens to invest in my constituency. Will he ensure that the Government continue that support and build on Labour’s success?

[Gregory Barker]

We are determined to transform the level of green growth in this country, and certainly on the level that we inherited from the last Labour Government. It is instructive that in the offshore wind industry, 80% of those huge installations, on average, were contracted and manufactured abroad under Labour. That has to change; we need the investment and supply chain here in Great Britain.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Barker of Battle and Karl Turner

Thursday 11th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Gregory Barker]

I am glad to say that there is strong cross-party commitment to a legally binding global deal, but I do not think that we are being unduly pessimistic in saying that we do not expect a globally binding deal to be reached at Cancun. That seems to be the expectation of most of the key participants. However, I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the UK is committed to making good progress at Cancun across a range of issues, including finance. We have committed in the CSR to a strong role for fast-start finance, details of which we have already announced.

[Karl Turner (Kingston upon Hull East) (Lab)]

5. Whether he has assessed the effect of the outcomes of the comprehensive spending review on households in fuel poverty.

[The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker)]

The spending review committed significant resources to tackling fuel poverty. Warm Front will continue to install measures for around 160,000 households in the next two years. In addition, we are actively working on the green deal and its new energy company obligation, which will have a particular focus on vulnerable households, for the end of 2012. We have confirmed an increase to cold weather payments at £25 a week. We have also confirmed that, from April 2011, energy suppliers will provide new help with energy bills, particularly for the most vulnerable fuel-poor households, through social price support. I will make a more detailed announcement on SPS shortly.

--- Later in debate ---

[Karl Turner]

I am grateful to the Minister for his reply, but, with respect, talk is cheap. Can he explain how massively cutting budgets to Warm Front, which does a fantastic job in my constituency, will help to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016, as per the previous Government’s target?

[Gregory Barker]

As the hon. Gentleman will know, fuel poverty grew year on year on year under the previous Government. It is simply a fact that 4 million households are now in fuel poverty; five years ago, 2 million households were in fuel poverty. If we had carried on with Warm Front business as usual, the fact of the matter is that it would have taken more than 20 years to achieve the 2016 target. We need a fresh approach, we need to bring in private investment and we need to create new markets. Only then, with the ambition that we have in the new coalition, will we really stand a chance of tackling fuel poverty.