Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Charles Hendry and Adrian Bailey

Thursday 16th September 2010 Commons Chamber

[Charles Hendry]

The 2050 document looked at a range of scenarios and energy mixes. However, let me reassure the hon. Lady that the Economic Secretary to the Treasury and I were in Aberdeen on Monday to talk to the industry—I think that that was the first such meeting involving both Treasury and Energy and Climate Change Ministers—to identify the long-term investment issues that are critical for the sector. It is absolutely in the national interest to develop the best possible resource return from our assets in the North sea.

[Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West) (Lab/Co-op)]

The security of our future energy supply is heavily dependent on the implementation of major energy projects. Given that the Government have abolished the Infrastructure Planning Commission, which was designed to remove planning obstacles to the implementation of such projects, can the Minister assure me that he is in conversation with his colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government to ensure that the successor planning regime achieves the same objective?

[Charles Hendry]

I can give the hon. Gentleman an absolute assurance that I am in regular contact with my ministerial colleagues in other Departments, Sir Michael Pitt of the IPC, and the industry, to ensure that the transition arrangements pose no threat to such projects. The measures that we are putting in place will be a significant enhancement of the regime, because they will reduce the risk of judicial challenge and review, and provide parliamentary and democratic accountability. That is an important element of such critical infrastructure issues.