Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Barker of Battle and Malcolm Wicks

Thursday 16th December 2010 Commons Chamber

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

One of the real steps forward at Cancun was progress on rainforests and forestry in general. Within the package of measures that was agreed was clear text making it absolutely crystal clear that preserving biodiversity and preventing perverse consequences of supporting palm oil plantations would be a key part of rainforest protection and funding.

[Malcolm Wicks (Croydon North) (Lab)]

On energy security, will Ministers examine critically the supply obligation that we place on companies, given that the tendency to buy short term rather than long term, and sometimes on the spot market, means that there can be no absolute guarantee that the supply will be in place in critical and extreme times for the world?