Energy: Green Deal

Debate between Lord Forsyth of Drumlean and Baroness Verma

Wednesday 26th March 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, I disagree with my noble friend that the scheme is not working. He will be aware that this is a 20-year programme and that we are learning more as it rolls out. We have listened carefully to industry and consumers, and as a result we have streamlined the Green Deal. We have brought in some online home energy tools to better guide consumers and we are providing advice through the Energy Saving Advice Service to help people find local offers. Further, we have supported the Green Deal Finance Company in its work on simplifying the financing process. There is a lot going on, so I disagree with my noble friend that the scheme is not working. It is just taking a little time to ensure that people understand the benefits of the Green Deal.

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Con)]

My Lords, has my noble friend seen the announcement this morning by SSE, one of the major utilities, which has decided to implement the declared policy of the Opposition and freeze electricity prices to 2016? Would she like to comment on the consequences, which are the loss of 500 jobs and the cancelling of a number of investment projects? Is that not a glimpse of the future were we to get a Labour Government: lost jobs, lost green projects and lost investment in our country?

[Baroness Verma]

My noble friend makes some important points. He raises the fact that energy companies, if we work with them, will recognise that competition in the marketplace is driving them to adjust the way they price. If we listened to the party opposite I think we would have even fewer than six companies.

Energy Bill

Debate between Lord Forsyth of Drumlean and Baroness Verma

Wednesday 6th November 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, I thank my noble friends Lord Teverson and Lord Roper for tabling this amendment and my other noble friends for their contributions, especially my noble and learned friend Lord Mackay of Clashfern, as he laid out very clearly the position of the law without referring to windmills or any other type of energy source. The judgment referring to planning consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 can be made only when the applicant, at the time of making the application, holds a licence to generate electricity under the Act or holds an exemption from this requirement, as my noble friend Lord Teverson pointed out. This judgment is being appealed and we are monitoring the position carefully. Given that the appeal is under way it would be premature, and indeed inappropriate, at this stage to adopt a legislative amendment without knowing what the outcomes were. Any legislative change would need to be considered in the full light of the outcomes of this case and it would be a mistake to assume that the judgment of the Outer House, if upheld, would be decided upon in exactly the same terms in the Inner House.

If we legislate now, we may find that the amendment does not deal with the final interpretation of the legislation, taking into account the arguments that are being developed as part of the judicial review hearings. In the event that this decision is upheld in terms equivalent to the original opinion of the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Clark of Calton, we will of course work with the Scottish Government to review the situation. For those reasons, I ask my noble friend Lord Teverson to withdraw his amendment.

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean]

Does my noble friend agree with the position of Scottish Ministers that they should continue with their current approach until the appeal has been determined, or does she take the view that there should be a stay on these matters until the law is clarified?

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, I will repeat what I have said, which is: let us wait to see what the outcome of the appeal is.

Grangemouth Refinery

Debate between Lord Forsyth of Drumlean and Baroness Verma

Wednesday 23rd October 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, the noble Lord raises a great number of questions. Of course we recognise that this is an incredibly unsettling time for workers at Grangemouth and for the wider community, but we need to try to work towards getting a resolution and therefore we stand ready to assist both sides to come to the table to discuss matters. We are also ready to engage with any potential purchaser that may make the case for the ongoing commitment to the UK if it were to take over Grangemouth petrochemicals. We are working very closely with the Scottish Government.

The noble Lord asked about contingency plans. We are working very closely with suppliers and retailers to ensure that Scottish forecourts increase their stock levels well above normal levels as a precaution. We have been working with airports to ensure that they have contingency plans in place to ensure the supply of jet fuel, and with heating oil distributors to encourage them to stock up early. A number of plans are already in place and we are working on them. Ultimately, the best solution would be to get both parties back talking to each other.

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Con)]

My Lords, first, I thank my noble friend for organising the meeting this afternoon. This is a vital national resource of great strategic importance in an area where jobs are in short supply. Will my noble friend encourage my right honourable friend the Prime Minister to knock some heads together and get agreement on the way forward? Quite frankly, the idea of finding a purchaser is a complete red herring. This plant is losing money on a substantial scale and it will be necessary for both sides to give way. It really is important to the United Kingdom as a whole, and to Scotland in particular, that the Government use their highest authority to get a resolution as speedily as possible and that these redundancy notices are withdrawn.

[Baroness Verma]

My noble friend is absolutely right that it is an incredibly important issue. That is why my starting point is that we need to get both parties back around the table. We in the Government here are doing our level best to ensure that happens and are working very closely with the Scottish Government.

Energy: Long-term Supply

Debate between Lord Forsyth of Drumlean and Baroness Verma

Thursday 17th October 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the investment required over the next decade to ensure a competitive and secure energy supply for the United Kingdom.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con)]

My Lords, the Energy Bill is currently going through your Lordships’ House. I am very grateful to all noble Lords who have made detailed contributions to the proceedings thus far. The Bill will drive £110 billion-worth of investment that is required in our electricity market between now and 2020. Our investment will not only help provide the infrastructure we need but will bring real economic growth and help support as many as 250,000 jobs in the low-carbon electricity market by 2020.

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Con)]

Will my noble friend confirm that government policy and regulation costs will add 22% to the average energy bill by 2020? Will she ensure that all the highly regressive and secret levies are exposed by requiring the energy companies to itemise them on household electricity bills?

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, my noble friend is of course right to raise the greater transparency that energy companies need to demonstrate in showing where costs are. However, the main driver behind energy price rises has been wholesale energy costs. We want a secure energy market; we need a diverse mix. We also need to meet our legal obligations, which have been set through the Climate Change Act 2008 and our globally agreed targets. We are working hard to ensure that we press energy companies to be as transparent and as open as possible with what they are putting on their energy bills.

Scotland Bill

Debate between Lord Forsyth of Drumlean and Baroness Verma

Thursday 15th March 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean]

My Lords, I shall speak to Amendment 54A which goes in the revised grouping with Amendment 54E. Again, the matter was considered and raised in the other place, I think by the opposition spokesman. I have put down an amendment that clarifies the position on the liability of members of the armed services to pay Scottish income tax. During consideration in the other place, people repeatedly asked for clarification on how Scottish income tax would apply to members of the armed services. My concern is, if someone is stationed in Scotland and is living in barracks, are they liable to pay Scottish income tax? Ministers promised—

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, may I press the noble Lord for a little clarity? Is he speaking to Amendment 54 or to Amendment 54A?

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean]

I am speaking to Amendment 54A.

[Baroness Verma]

Does the noble Lord wish to move Amendment 54? It needs to be taken before Amendment 54A.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, we take the amendments in order.

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean]

I apologise. I just say to my noble friend that it really is impossible if we have one piece of paper that is different from the rest. I raised this privately and was told that the Whips’ Office is not prepared to issue another piece of paper. I am reasonably involved in these amendments, and I am finding it very difficult. I was looking at the other list of amendments as opposed to the revised, revised list of amendments. That is why I was moving Amendment 54A, and I apologise. The noble Baroness wants me to move Amendment 54. We have debated that; it was in the first group.