Ford in Bridgend

Debate between Lord Stoneham of Droxford and Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

Monday 10th June 2019 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, I understand some Members’ desire to make this about Brexit but it is important that we focus on the job in hand, as I said. The noble Lord knows that I have immense respect for him, but we do not want to be in the position of talking down the excellent production of and workforce at Airbus. There really is no call for that. We should focus on helping the workforce at Bridgend.

[Lord Stoneham of Droxford (LD)]

My Lords, as someone who worked in the motor industry early in his career, I know that although the executives in the industry are cautious about what they say, they need Brexit like a hole in the head, whether it is with a deal or no deal. That is because there is a seven-year investment cycle in the industry. It is not about what is happening in the short term but about what is going to happen as each production line comes up for investment, as is now the case in Bridgend. The whole industry risks being destroyed by the uncertainty—not just on whether there is a deal in the next few months but over the next five years while we try to negotiate a deal going forward. That is the problem for the motor industry and surely that is why it is at risk.

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, again it is important that we as politicians do not seek to interpret what executives in the car industry say. They are sufficiently strong to know their own minds and they are not backward about coming forward and telling Governments what they feel. If they say that this decision would have been made anyway and that it is not related to Brexit, we must take them at their word. It does not do any good at all to claim that this is about something that it is not. That is not to say, as I have now repeated many times, that uncertainty in the economy is a good thing; it is not and we all know that. That is why we need a Brexit deal and I hope that noble Lords will take that message back to their leaders so that we can come together and get a deal before the end of October.

Renewable Energy: Solar

Debate between Lord Stoneham of Droxford and Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

Wednesday 14th October 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, keeping bills down for hard-working families obviously is a vital part of the Government’s policy—and it very much remains so. It is true that the costs of solar and of other renewables are falling significantly. Solar is on the fastest trajectory downwards. We are very keen to reduce the cost of solar panels by, for example, supporting lifting the ban on minimum price restrictions on the import of solar panels from China into the EU, as we are doing.

[Lord Stoneham of Droxford (LD)]

Is the reversal of the incentives for long-term investment in the renewable energy sector not in complete contradiction of the warning given by the Governor of the Bank of England that climate change is a threat to our financial resilience and long-term prosperity?

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, extremely important at the moment are the climate change negotiations that are taking place, or will take place, in Paris at the end of the year, as I am sure all noble Lords will agree. The most significant thing that is raised internationally is the generosity of the contribution from the United Kingdom of £5.8 billion towards resilience and mitigation. That is what the discussion is about: taking international action. That remains extremely important.