Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Amanda Solloway and Bill Esterson

Tuesday 16th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[Amanda Solloway]

I want to acknowledge how hard my hon. Friend works for his constituents. Of course those are the things we are most mindful of: making sure we get energy efficiency not only in production, but in the way we use that energy.

[Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)]

6. What recent discussions she has had with businesses on the Government’s net zero targets.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Amanda Solloway and Bill Esterson

Tuesday 18th April 2023 Commons Chamber

[Amanda Solloway]

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the energy bill support scheme alternative funding, providing £400, and £600 in Northern Ireland, to households who do not have a domestic electricity supply and therefore have not received the main EBSS payment. It is up and running and I urge all Members to encourage their eligible constituents, including those in park homes, to apply via gov.uk.

[Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)]

British businesses pay among the highest energy bills anywhere in Europe, yet Make UK said the Government’s plan

“does little to tackle the real and immediate threat manufacturers face with rocketing energy bills.”

If the Government really wanted to support business, they would implement Labour’s plans, help small firms with energy efficiency, cut business rates and invest in renewable electricity generation for the long term.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Amanda Solloway and Bill Esterson

Tuesday 3rd March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Amanda Solloway]

My hon. Friend, who I know cares passionately about this issue, makes a really good point; CCUS will be vital to meeting our net zero target and revitalising the UK’s industrial areas. The Government have invested over £50 million in CCUS innovation, and recently we consulted on potential business models to help progress deployment. The CCUS action plan aims to enable the commissioning of the first facility in the UK in the mid-2020s. We committed in our manifesto to investing £800 million towards that, and £500 million to help energy-intensive industries move to low-carbon techniques.

[Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)]

If the Government want to help clean growth, they can invest in the Mersey tidal power project. It is clean, entirely predictable, and could power 1 million homes. It offers high-quality jobs and has massive domestic and export potential. Steve Rotheram and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have just committed a further £3.5 million to the project, so will the Government back the people of the north-west by supporting investment in this exciting new project? It is a chance to demonstrate that they are interested in and serious about tackling the climate crisis.

[Amanda Solloway]

Yes, absolutely. We need to do that for research and development in all technologies, and I will welcome the opportunity to meet the hon. Gentleman in the future.