Oral Answers to Questions

Anthony Mangnall Excerpts

Tuesday 25th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Rob Roberts (Delyn) (Ind)]

6. What steps his Department is taking to support marine energy generation.

[Anthony Mangnall (Totnes) (Con)]

9. What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of tidal energy.

[The Minister for Climate (Graham Stuart)]

I am delighted to say that, on 7 July, we announced that 40 MW of new tidal stream power was secured in Scotland and Wales through the contracts for difference round, and analysis has confirmed the predictability, resilience and potential cost-effectiveness of marine energy, which can play a key role in delivering energy security and net zero.

--- Later in debate ---

[Graham Stuart]

There is long-standing Government support for wave and tidal power research and development, with more than £175 million having been invested in the area over the past two decades. However, I agree with the hon. Gentleman that, where it can be shown that it is cost-effective, tidal and marine energy has a big role to play.

[Anthony Mangnall]

As is so often the case, local ideas can provide national solutions. Will the Minister meet me and Rev. Andrew Langley from my constituency, who is using his churches to look at using new tidal technology to power the town of Dartmouth? Those are the sort of schemes that we need to be looking at and then investing in and supporting the technology.

[Graham Stuart]

Rev. Andrew Langley sounds like a community hero. It is exactly that kind of grassroots approach that is at the heart of Conservative philosophy as we deliver these high-level targets, but we work with the whole community to see it delivered. Community groups have a big role to play in our efforts to eliminate our contribution to climate change, and of course I would be delighted to meet my hon. Friend and his local hero, Rev. Andrew Langley.