Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Charles Hendry and John Bercow

Thursday 31st January 2013 Commons Chamber

[Charles Hendry (Wealden) (Con)]

Yesterday’s decision of Cumbria county council not to take forward work to explore the suitability of the local area for a deep geological facility for nuclear waste seems to me to be a pretty serious blow, especially to Sellafield’s own aspirations to be a global centre of nuclear expertise. What steps does the Minister plan to take to take forward that critical work, which has to be an integral part of a nuclear renaissance? Will he look at alternative technologies such as GE Hitachi’s PRISM—power reactor innovative small module—technology?

[Mr Speaker]

A full day’s debate by the sound of it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Charles Hendry and John Bercow

Thursday 12th July 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The approval of the hon. Gentleman means a great deal to me.

[Charles Hendry]

I had never seen the hon. Gentleman as an advocate of alternative energy policies.

I had a meeting yesterday with the head of the National Union of Mineworkers and the head of the National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers, but if the hon. Gentleman feels that it is time for another meeting, I will of course consider that.

--- Later in debate ---

[Charles Hendry]

We are already seeing some decoupling. We have seen a decoupling of the oil price from the gas price. We are expecting to see that gas will be an important source of generation in its own right, but that it will also have a very important future in providing back-up to renewable generation, which will inevitably be intermittent in most areas.

[Mr Speaker]

We are ahead of time today, and we will move on now to topical questions.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Charles Hendry and John Bercow

Thursday 17th May 2012 Commons Chamber

[The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Charles Hendry)]

I have regular discussions with other Government Departments, including the Department for Communities and Local Government, on how to ensure that local communities hosting new nuclear power stations benefit in the long term from these large and nationally important projects. The Government will announce our conclusions shortly.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Tessa Munt.

--- Later in debate ---

[Charles Hendry]

I did eventually work out that fighting mining seats was not the best way to get elected to this House; it is more accurate to say that they fought me, rather than I fought them. Many areas around this country have tremendous resources that can benefit from this technology and, in addition, great technological skills that we can bring forward in this process. This is a world-class, world-leading competition, and it is a very exciting time for this industry.

[Mr Speaker]

The Minister of State is a self-effacing fellow. If memory serves me correctly, although he was unsuccessful in Mansfield he did lose in 1987 by only 56 votes, and I think the House ought to know that.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Charles Hendry and John Bercow

Thursday 8th March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Charles Hendry]

I would be more than happy to have a meeting with the people from the hon. Gentleman’s constituency in Dundee to understand more about the scheme that they are putting forward. As he will be aware, last year gas prices were, on average, 30% higher worldwide than the year before and oil prices peaked at their highest ever level in sterling just last week. Global prices have been going up and we therefore need to find new, imaginative ways of helping consumers. Such collective purchasing agreements can be an important way of reassuring people and of ensuring that they get the best deal. I would be delighted to meet those people.

[Mr Speaker]

Patience rewarded; I call Mr Robert Halfon.

[Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Government define fuel poverty as a person spending a tenth of their income on fuel. Motorists in Harlow who are on average earnings spend a tenth of their income on petrol and diesel costs. Does that not mean that motorists on low and average earnings are facing fuel poverty? Will the Government do everything that they can to continue down the path set by the Chancellor in the last Budget, and reduce the cost of petrol and diesel at the pumps?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Charles Hendry and John Bercow

Thursday 1st December 2011 Commons Chamber

[Charles Hendry]

My hon. Friend has made an important point. In future, as a result of one of the changes that we are making to the planning system, it will not be possible to overrule such decisions on appeal simply because the developments involved meet a regional renewable energy target. That target has been removed, and we are giving much more authority and many more decision-making powers to local bodies. Applications involving more than 50 MW will be submitted to the Infrastructure Planning Commission and then to Ministers for approval, but we are determined to strike the right balance between local and national interests.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Ian Murray. He is not here, so I call Ian Mearns.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Charles Hendry and John Bercow

Thursday 20th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Charles Hendry]

The hon. Gentleman makes some of the points that I was just making. The sweating of assets to which he referred resulted from the lack of investment over the past 13 years in the building of new plants. It is 15 years since the last nuclear plant was opened, 25 years since it was commissioned and 40 years since the last coal plant was opened. We have not seen enough investment in plant, and that is a legacy issue that is now being addressed. As a result of competition, we ended up with some of the cheapest electricity and gas prices in the whole of Europe, but we have to make up for that legacy of failure.

[Mr Speaker]

We are certainly using a lot of energy today, that is for sure.

[Laura Sandys (South Thanet) (Con)]

I want to return to consumers and their costs. Will the Minister urge Ofgem to reconsider the unit as a specification? What does “a unit” mean? Could we not look at cost per bulb hour, and other things that consumers understand? That will drive behaviour change as well.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Charles Hendry and John Bercow

Thursday 11th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Charles Hendry]

My hon. Friend raises a critical issue. We have already started to take action. I have licensed the Saltfleetby facility, which will give us a 15% increase in our gas storage, and the Deborah facility, which, if it gets the final investment decision, will double gas storage in this country. We shall also take steps in the Energy Security and Green Economy Bill this autumn to require greater security of supply from the energy companies.

[Mr Speaker]

Jessica Morden. Not here.