Drax Biomass Power Station Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateBaroness Blake of Leeds
Main Page: Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Blake of Leeds's debates with the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
(1 year, 1 month ago)
Lords ChamberThe noble Lord was probably in the other place when the regulations and laws for Ofgem were passed. It is an independent regulator; that is the whole principle of it. Until I see any evidence that it is not carrying out its job satisfactorily, I will continue to have confidence in it.
My Lords, when Ofgem opened its investigation into Drax’s biomass sustainability reporting a month ago, it made clear it would act if it found breaches of the rules—the right approach, surely, to a single case. However, what assessment have the Government made of wider compliance with reporting requirements and what steps are they taking to improve monitoring, particularly with regard to the origin of fuel sources?
I refer the noble Baroness to the answers I have given to previous questions. There are other biomass operations that fulfil the sustainability criteria. If any evidence is produced and if the noble Baroness has any evidence, I would be delighted to pass it on, but until then we should trust what they say.