10-point Plan: Six Months On

Andrew Bowie Excerpts

Tuesday 18th May 2021 Commons Chamber

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

I am conscious of the work that the hon. Gentleman has done, as he put it, to get this over the line. I was gratified to see Mr Tavares’ comments yesterday and I think that we are in a reasonable place. We obviously need to work very hard together to get it over the line, but the situation in Ellesmere Port is moving in a positive direction.

[Andrew Bowie (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (Con)]

I thank and welcome everything that the Secretary of State has said today. May I join the hon. Member for Aberdeen South (Stephen Flynn) in extolling the virtues and benefits of the Acorn project in the north-east of Scotland—of course headquartered in Banchory in my constituency—as being essential to our drive towards net zero? Does my right hon. Friend not agree that, if his Department were to choose this project, it, along with the energy transition deal, would demonstrate again to the people in the north-east of Scotland the value of remaining a part of our United Kingdom?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

I am delighted to see this degree of cross-party fraternity on that. All I would say is that the Acorn project has a lot to recommend it.