Local Power Plan

Alice Macdonald Excerpts

Tuesday 10th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ed Miliband]

The hon. Lady asks an important question. We will work with the Welsh publicly owned energy company to make sure that Wales benefits from this plan. I made that point about a fair balance of funding across the country to the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mr Morrison), and I think it is very important. I think we will find that this programme will be highly oversubscribed—that is my prediction—because there is such an appetite for this plan and its potential. I hear that in the House. One thing that we will definitely be doing is working with the Welsh Government.

[Alice Macdonald (Norwich North) (Lab/Co-op)]

I welcome the local power plan, which builds on much clean energy investment in Norfolk, including backing for the Vanguard wind project and £17 million for warm homes in Norwich. I urge the Government to keep backing the east of England as a hub for clean energy. Will the Secretary of State outline in a bit more detail how constituents will be made aware of this project, particularly those who will not hear this statement, or hear about it on the radio, so that the communities that would benefit the most are able to maximise the benefits of this funding?

[Ed Miliband]

My hon. Friend makes a really important point. Local Members of Parliament have a massive role to play in, for example, approaching their local community groups and others who have the potential to benefit from the plan. I encourage all Members to do that. One of the most important things about Members of Parliament from all parts of the House is that so many of them have a sense of the groups and areas in their constituency that can benefit from the plan. My hon. Friend the Minister for Energy and I will provide resources for MPs across the House, so that they not only know about the plan, but can draw it to the attention of people and community groups in their constituency, so that they can benefit from it.