EU: Emissions Trading Scheme

Debate between Lord Tomlinson and Lord Marland

Thursday 3rd February 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Marland]

I totally agree with that statement. I would just point out to the noble Lord that airlines will not join the system until 2012, so it is hard to evaluate the role of the system in that regard. By way of evaluation, it will be very interesting to see how it works, because airlines will be registering their carbon in the country to which they send their planes most often rather than in the country where they are domiciled. So there are one or two things that need to be looked at before 2012. However, I completely agree with the noble Lord in the sentiment of his question.

[Lord Tomlinson]

My Lords, I express my gratitude to the Minister for his clear statement that there were no cyberattacks on the emissions scheme, because there are all sorts of conflicting views about that. However, will he confirm that it is imperative to the interests of this country that we secure the services provided by the European Union from cyberattack to precisely the same level as we protect ourselves domestically, and that if that has implications for the European Union budget, so be it?

[Lord Marland]

The noble Lord makes a very good point. The great thing about the British system is that the International Emissions Trading Association has made it clear that we are the most secure of any European country. That does not mean for one moment that we should be complacent—in fact we must be even more vigilant given the potential for cyberattacks and the fraud attacks that have been made on other registries. That is why we recently worked with the European Union on a process to demonstrate the security of our registry—and my thanks here to the Environment Agency for the excellent work that it has done. I hope we can yet again show leadership in Europe on this issue.

Climate Change

Debate between Lord Tomlinson and Lord Marland

Tuesday 6th July 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Marland]

I thank the noble Lord for that. The electric vehicle charging network is a very key and fundamental part of the coalition’s policy, but it cannot be done by magic. It needs detailed planning and a lot of work needs to be done, including assessing what it will cost the taxpayer and what incentives are needed to establish it. As I said, we shall look at that in the recess to establish what is required.

[Lord Tomlinson]

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the Government’s own adviser, Mr Bob Wigley, has added his recommendations to those of the Committee on Climate Change? Included in his recommendations are increased rates for companies that do not take energy conservation measures and penalising householders who fail to undertake insulation measures. Are the Government telling us that we will have to wait till October to hear their view on their own adviser’s supplementary recommendations?

[Lord Marland]

My Lords, I have to point out that Mr Bob Wigley is not a government adviser. He was set up to deliver—

Energy: Renewables

Debate between Lord Tomlinson and Lord Marland

Monday 5th July 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Marland]

I am not sure I thank the noble Lord for his question, but his party’s views are well known and, I am afraid, do not coincide with ours. We think that climate change is one of the biggest issues to confront the nation. We are putting green awareness on the front of our agenda. We are going to be the greenest Government who have existed and we intend to deliver policies to show so.

[Lord Tomlinson]

Does the noble Lord regard nuclear-generated electricity as being renewable?

[Lord Marland]

Nuclear-generated electricity is a fundamental part of our party’s coalition policy but I am not sure that it is relevant to the Question in hand.

Energy: Nuclear Power

Debate between Lord Tomlinson and Lord Marland

Thursday 3rd June 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Marland]

Perhaps the former Minister ought to answer that question. There needs to be a huge amount of catch-up. The lights are meant to be going out in 2017, and there is a big task ahead of us to get this country prepared to supply electricity. I assure noble Lords that this Government are fully committed to that process.

[Lord Tomlinson]

My Lords, I congratulate the Minister on his appointment, but must immediately tell him that he must produce better replies to Parliament than his first reply to my noble friend Lord Hunt. To congratulate the Liberal Democrat members of the coalition on their commitment to nuclear generation is turning reality on its head in the light of what my noble friend Lord Hunt said and what we have all read in the coalition programme. Will the Minister now answer the question and assure this House that the statement that the Liberal Democrats are free to oppose and to abstain in votes on this is not a process of benign neglect of the imperative of nuclear generation for this country?

[Lord Marland]

As the noble Lord knows, the Conservative commitment to nuclear is very strong, and before the end of the month we will be putting to the House a coalition Statement on our plans. I will leave it at that, because I think that enough has been said.