Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Clarkson Excerpts

Tuesday 7th June 2022 Commons Chamber

[David Johnston (Wantage) (Con)]

3. What steps he is taking to support new low-carbon technologies.

[Chris Clarkson (Heywood and Middleton) (Con)]

9. What steps he is taking to support new low-carbon technologies.

[Mr Steve Baker (Wycombe) (Con)]

10. What steps he is taking to support new low-carbon technologies.

--- Later in debate ---

[Greg Hands]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. We want to go with the grain of human nature, which means that, when it is time to replace a gas boiler, the heat pump is a competitive option in terms of price. That is why we think the cost of heat pumps can reduce by 25% to 50% by 2025. We have our £450 million boiler upgrade scheme to provide capital grants of up to £6,000, and that is in addition to the zero per cent rate of VAT on installation.

[Chris Clarkson]

As we transition away from gas, hydrogen—in particular green hydrogen generated by renewable sources such as that at Scout Moor wind farm in my Heywood and Middleton constituency—gives the UK the unique opportunity to become an exporter of energy. Does my right hon. Friend agree that that is good not just for our economy and energy security, but for communities such as Heywood and Middleton where it will create new and exciting jobs?

[Greg Hands]

My hon. Friend is a doughty champion for his constituency and for the hydrogen sector. I was at the global hydrogen summit about three weeks ago where exactly the possibility of hydrogen exports was very much the topic of the day. That is why we have doubled the ambition in our British energy security strategy to go to 10 GW of low-carbon hydrogen production by 2030, which will provide fantastic opportunities right the way across the country, notably in his constituency as well.