Electricity Generation
Debate between Lord Elis-Thomas and Baroness Verma
Baroness Verma
My noble friend is absolutely right: Iceland has vast geothermal, hydro and wind resources. We stand ready to liaise further with the Icelandic Government to determine the potential for interconnection in future that will benefit both countries.
Lord Elis-Thomas (PC)
My Lords, the Government of Latvia have announced the formation of an energy union within the European Union as one of their priorities for their term in the presidency. Can we have an assurance in this House that that will be fully supported by Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom?
Baroness Verma
My Lords, this Government have been supportive of making sure that the UK is well managed within its own production at home, but of course we need to ensure that our European partners are also rising to the game. We are working very hard with our European partners to make sure that they are as ambitious as we are.
Energy: Electricity Supply
Debate between Lord Elis-Thomas and Baroness Verma
Baroness Verma
I agree with my noble friend absolutely that we do not want to be a country that will increase CO2 emissions and that the path we have taken is a balanced one.
Lord Elis-Thomas
My Lords, does the Minister agree that this situation has been brought about by the failure of successive Governments to invest adequately in alternative low-carbon forms of renewable energy, and also to invest in new nuclear? Will she now agree that it is absolutely essential that projects such as the Horizon project at Wylfa B in Anglesey should go ahead as soon as possible?
Baroness Verma
My Lords, as I have said on a number of occasions at the Dispatch Box, the Government have taken very seriously the point that we need to ensure a diverse source of supply of energy. Among them, of course, are the renewable sector and nuclear.