Warm Home Discount
Claire Young Excerpts(1 day, 10 hours ago)
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Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
We welcome investment in warm homes following a winter in which millions of households were living in fuel poverty. The crisis was exacerbated by the Government’s cut to winter fuel payments— and we welcome the U-turn on that, too. The former Conservative Government’s stop-starts on home insulation policies left thousands of vulnerable people in damp, cold and unsafe homes, with lower energy-efficiency standards and higher bills during an energy crisis.
Given that homes in this country are among the oldest and least energy-efficient in Europe, will the Government commit to an ambitious 10-year plan for home insulation, for which the Liberal Democrats have long called? Will they ensure that households on lower incomes will be eligible for free insulation as part of that plan? And, following the Government accepting the campaign of my hon. Friend the Member for Cheltenham (Max Wilkinson) for solar panels to be mandated for all new homes, will they now look to introduce a full zero carbon standard for all new homes and solar for car parks, as put forward by the Liberal Democrats in amendments to the Planning and Infra- structure Bill?
Miatta Fahnbulleh
I could not agree more. The record of stops and starts on home upgrades and home insulation is one reason that we failed to insulate as many households as we should have done from the energy price spike. We are committed to a long-term plan to upgrade millions of homes across the country. That is what the warm homes plan will do. We are delighted that this has been backed by the Chancellor with £13.2 billion of investment, and we are now working on how we draw that out across the country. We will make sure that we have the right solution for every household, using a combination of insulation, solar, and heat pumps. We want every household that gets an upgrade to have a home that is warm and much, much cheaper to run. That is our absolute focus and priority.
On the future homes standard, we have been working very closely with colleagues in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and consulting with developers. We are absolutely committed to driving forward standards. We have set out our ambition to make sure that future homes are fit for the future, using solar and clean heat solutions. We cannot have the situation that we have had in the past, where we built homes that needed retrofitting a few years later. We are committed to our ambition and we will be setting out more details in the warm homes plan.
Nuclear Power: Investment
Claire Young Excerpts(1 week, 3 days ago)
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Ed Miliband
I definitely believe that Sheffield Forgemasters has an incredibly important role to play in our civil nuclear programme. Contractual details for Rolls-Royce and our discussions with the company are for a bit down the road, but in my view, Forgemasters is central to our plans.
Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
Happy birthday, Mr Speaker. Oldbury in my constituency is one of the sites under consideration for SMRs, and I have been told many times that it has many factors going for it, including GB Nuclear’s ownership of it, the nuclear expertise in higher education locally, its existing nuclear history and the potential for co-ordination with the Berkeley site. Given that the old nuclear power station has already been decommissioned, the local community wants to know what the future looks like. Will the Secretary of State confirm that Oldbury is still in the running and will he give a timeline for the decision?
Ed Miliband
As part of the process that we go to from here, Great British Energy Nuclear will look at what is the right place for the SMR fleet and, absolutely, Oldbury is one of the candidates.
Draft Contracts for Difference (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2025
Claire Young Excerpts(2 weeks, 4 days ago)
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Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Mrs Hobhouse.
In 2009, the then Climate Secretary, the right hon. Member for Doncaster North (Ed Miliband), announced his plan to ramp up the use of wood-burning power stations while also ensuring sustainability. Fast forward to today and the right hon. Member—now the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero—is attempting to paper over his legacy by forcing through an extension of subsidies until 2031. That is being done despite broad cross-party opposition to the move, as the previous Government took the decision to refuse the extension. There are alternatives.
Since that so-called ramping up 15 years ago, six times more trees than in the entire New Forest have been cut down. Disapproval is so strong that it undermines trust in the Government’s entire package of net zero policies. Key investments in our energy infrastructure will be squeezed if we persist in chopping down North American forests and shipping them across the Atlantic in diesel freighters. There are far better and smarter ways to power our homes. We have already heard about the comments from the Public Accounts Committee, and this month the Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee agreed that this is not value for money. It also expressed deep concerns about the true purpose of the draft regulations and stated that Parliament needs to see key documents about them, including legal evidence, the National Energy System Operator report and the Ofgem audit.
Rather than reflect on those grave issues, the Government chose to announce on the first day of recess that they would convene a Delegated Legislation Committee on the first day back. That is despite the fact that the draft regulations would enable Ministers to extend the subsidies to burn trees for four years from 2027, when the current subsidies run out, to 2031. Liberal Democrats strongly believe that biomass is not a form of renewable energy and should not be subject to any exemptions or Government support. It is an incredibly inefficient method of producing electricity, and there are far better methods we should be investing in.
We note the concerning comments in the Climate Change Committee’s seventh carbon budget recommendations, which confirmed that there is
“no role for large-scale unabated biomass generation at high load-factors in the pathway beyond the expiry of existing contracts in 2027.”
Yet the Government are choosing to go ahead with just that. Liberal Democrats want to see the contracts for difference scheme used to benefit renewable energy production and reduce the UK’s dependence on fossil fuels in the hands of authoritarian regimes. Investing in renewable energy will cut bills, lower emissions and improve our energy security.
We have been calling on the Government to keep the cap on the dedicated biomass plants and end support for all new biomass plants. We want to ensure that 90% of the UK’s electricity is generated from renewables by 2030, with biomass not a part of that because the wood often does not come from renewable sources and in many cases the emissions are worse than coal. We therefore oppose the draft regulations and urge the Government to think again.
Energy Grid Resilience
Claire Young Excerpts(1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
I thank the Minister for advance sight of his statement. Our thoughts are with all those affected by these power outages, which are a stark reminder of how key our energy security is to our national security. That is why it is vital that the Government learn from this latest incident by acting now to boost our home-grown energy by supporting community-owned projects and increasing supply chain capacity.
Our constituents will be concerned to know about preparations in this country. What conversations has the Minister had across Government to ensure that the UK has robust plans in place in the event of similar situations occurring here? In particular, can he outline what contingency plans are in place to protect our transport network, our hospitals and urgent healthcare settings and our emergency communication capacity? The latter currently relies heavily on the mobile network for our emergency alert system, as well as being the primary way that most people stay up to date.
Michael Shanks
Let me repeat the point that I made to the shadow Minister. It is absolutely right to point out the widespread cascading impacts of power failure and just the sheer amount of our lives that is now driven by electricity. The hon. Lady also made the same point as the shadow Minister, which I did not respond to at the time, around preparations across Government. I am Minister in the Department responsible for energy resilience and security. The Secretary of State takes a very serious interest in this area. Right across Government, we have a number of meetings that are chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, who has responsibility for resilience, which includes looking at specific impacts. Most recently, we discussed some of the communications impacts of power cuts caused by storms, to make sure that people can still communicate, particularly via the mobile phone network. These are important points that we are taking forward.
Clearly, the energy system in this country is resilient, but the job of Government is to prepare for all eventualities, however low the chances. We take very seriously not just the preparations in place, but making sure that Government are ready to try out some of these processes and to learn from experiences such as this. There will be things that we can learn from the Spanish and Portuguese Governments, and we stand ready to do that.
Oral Answers to Questions
Claire Young Excerpts(1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
Through my work on the Select Committee, I have heard repeated concerns from industry leaders that existing workers in their 50s and 60s see no point in retraining because they believe they will see out their careers supporting old technologies. That has a knock-on impact on young entrants to the workforce, who have traditionally learnt their skills from more experienced workers. Will the Secretary of State outline what steps he is taking to incentivise retraining to support growth in the renewable energy sector?
Ed Miliband
The hon. Lady raises a really important point. That is why we are working with the Department for Education to make sure we do not just have a clean power plan that will help to create hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country and invest in supply chains, which I talked about earlier, but crucially offer opportunities for younger workers and inspire them about the possibilities that are available, and create opportunities for older workers, too. All that work is ongoing in Government.
Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
Following the publication of the Severn estuary commission report on tidal power, will the Government produce a national policy statement to support tidal range energy, and will they publish a review of the available opportunities?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Michael Shanks)
I have had a number of meetings on this issue since coming into post. Clearly, tidal could play an important part in an energy mix. We have been clear that we are supportive of it in principle, but questions about its cost benefit and value for money must be answered. We are happy to continue looking at it in future, as projects develop and more detail comes forward.
Oral Answers to Questions
Claire Young Excerpts(3 months ago)
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Michael Shanks
Throughout the seven months that we have been in government, we have been doing everything we can to work with the operators of the Grangemouth refinery. Of course we were disappointed by its closure. We have carried out a number of pieces of work on fuel security. We are not concerned about that at this point, but, across the whole country, we keep constantly it under review.
Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
Although the Leader of the Opposition thinks that achieving net zero is impossible without “bankrupting us”, investment in low carbon energy for communities such as Severn Beach in my constituency could create valuable skilled jobs. What steps will the Government take to ensure that the area around the River Severn will get the investment that it needs to realise its potential?
Ed Miliband
The hon. Lady is absolutely right on that. The Opposition are off to the “Wacky Races” when it comes to net zero. We in the Labour party know the truth: net zero is the economic opportunity of the 21st century and, under this Government, we will seize it.
Warm Home Discount
Claire Young Excerpts(3 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)
I call a member of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.
Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
Chopping and changing home upgrade schemes, as we saw under the previous Conservative Government, causes uncertainty and confusion, which is damaging for both consumers and installers alike. Will this Government avoid that mistake by setting out long-term plans for energy efficiency schemes that go beyond 2026?
Miatta Fahnbulleh
One hundred per cent. We need a long-term plan, so that every part of the system can respond to that. Our warm homes plan will try to set a long-term trajectory, so that we can marshal every part of the system necessary to deliver hundreds of thousands of upgrades, year in, year out.
Energy Infrastructure: Chinese Companies
Claire Young Excerpts(4 months, 1 week ago)
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.
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Kerry McCarthy
On the one hand, Conservative Members raise concerns about critical minerals being imported from abroad. On the other, when my hon. Friend, who is a real champion for her area, praises the investment that we have put into lithium extraction in Cornwall, they start jeering. We will continue to invest through GB Energy and the national wealth fund.
Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
To have true energy security, we need home-grown capability at all stages of the development of renewable energy infrastructure, from the earliest research to maintenance and decommissioning. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that we have that home-grown full-lifecycle capability?
Kerry McCarthy
From the hon. Member’s question, she may be talking about community energy—I am not quite sure.
Kerry McCarthy
In that case, I will say that it is important that any investment is place-based, and we need to look at developing the capability, such as the skills and the capacity of the local authorities—that is where community energy comes in. We also need to ensure that the finance goes where the investment is needed. If I have not understood the hon. Member’s question, I would be happy to take it up with her afterwards.
Marine Renewables Industry
Claire Young Excerpts(5 months ago)
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Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine. I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) on securing this important debate and on his efforts to keep this issue on the agenda in Parliament. I want to reinforce the point he made about the Crown Estate Commission. As Liberal Democrats, we believe in working with communities to deliver change. The Crown Estate may own the seabed, but that does not mean the commission should be allowed to ignore the needs of others who make their living from the sea, whether through fishing, tourism or any other means. That point was picked up by a number of Members, particularly my hon. Friend the Member for South Devon (Caroline Voaden), who spoke up powerfully for the fishing industry in Brixham. The commission should also not be exempt from the duty to protect nature that other public bodies have, recognising—as we do—that the nature and climate emergencies go hand in hand.
On the wider issue, marine renewables will help us to meet our commitment to tackle the climate crisis—the single biggest challenge facing our generation.
Wera Hobhouse
My hon. Friend and I are members of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, and yesterday we heard evidence from the Secretary of State. He said that the transition to net zero is the biggest opportunity for all of us, including those in the south-west, to create prosperity and the jobs we need for the future. Does my hon. Friend agree?
Claire Young
Absolutely—it is almost as though my hon. Friend has read the next section of my speech. I was about to say that marine renewables will also boost jobs and businesses throughout the supply chain, and will be part of the solution to the energy crisis that has hit people hard in recent years.
Sadly, we are living in the shadow of the Conservatives’ failure to fully invest in renewable energy and to properly insulate our homes. The previous Conservative Government rowed back on their pledges to meet net zero and shamefully watered down policies aimed at reducing our carbon emissions. That means we need bold action now to put us back on the right course. Liberal Democrats want to see this Government step up to the plate and provide a comprehensive energy strategy designed to bring down bills, end fuel poverty, cut greenhouse gas emissions and deliver energy security.
A key part of that strategy must be marine renewable energy. I welcome the initial progress being made, with a 50% uplift in ringfenced funding support for tidal stream energy as part of the contracts for difference renewables auctions. With a significant stretch of the Severn estuary coastline in my constituency, I am keen to see the UK leading the world in tidal power. My hon. Friends the Members for Taunton and Wellington (Gideon Amos) and for Melksham and Devizes (Brian Mathew) highlighted the opportunities in the wider south-west. Given that it is his birthday, I will not argue with my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton and Wellington today about his plans to make Taunton the centre of that enterprise. The 50% uplift is a good first step and shows that we are beginning to take the sector seriously.
However, there is so much more potential out there, if only the Government would reach out and grasp it. My right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland mentioned the parallels with the gas and oil industry, and I would like to look at wind power as an example of how these things can be done. When my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Ed Davey) was Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, he made it his key priority to back renewables and managed to push through a bold climate agenda that embraced new technologies. That quadrupled the UK’s level of renewable power and made us a world leader in offshore wind energy.
The Office for National Statistics has stated that employment estimates within the low-carbon and renewable energy economy are at record levels. Because of the willingness to back British renewables, the industry is now worth an estimated £69.4 billion to the UK economy and supports thousands of jobs. The economic benefits and the need to make sure they are kept in the UK have been highlighted by many Members, including the hon. Members for Edinburgh North and Leith (Tracy Gilbert), for Truro and Falmouth (Jayne Kirkham) and for Camborne and Redruth (Perran Moon).
It is good to hear about the important partnerships with universities, including Herriot-Watt, mentioned by my right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland, and Queen’s University Belfast, mentioned by the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon).
The Government talk a lot about their drive for economic growth, and I suggest that that goes hand in hand with investing in renewable power generation. Putting a just transition front and centre allows us to not only reskill those already working in the energy industry, but upskill people to give them new opportunities around our coast. Our coastal areas have long felt left behind and forgotten about, as I know from talking to people in places such as Severn Beach in my constituency. Those areas now have the potential to become booming hubs of activity, which is why Liberal Democrats want to see marine renewables used as part of a plan to invest in them, with a dedicated skills fund to provide green skills and jobs to communities.
I would like briefly to pick up the issue of grid connections, which I have mentioned in the House in reference to other renewables and which the right hon. Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts) raised today. A plan to deliver the supporting infrastructure must be part of any strategy.
Britain has long been defined by our connection with the sea that surrounds our island. We have a unique relationship with the waves, and we need to make the most of that, understanding what it looks like in the 21st century. Our marine environments are already under threat from sewage and plastic pollution. Having a dedicated marine industry strategy will allow us to carefully manage the development of our biodiverse areas out at sea. That is why we need to have new targets for marine protected areas and to mandate the Government to monitor those sites fully.
Addressing the climate crisis is about embracing opportunity and empowering communities to make the most of their surroundings. It is time that the UK stepped up as a world leader in this area, so I hope the Minister will agree to listen to our proposals, which will benefit the marine renewables sector greatly.
Oral Answers to Questions
Claire Young Excerpts(6 months ago)
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Sarah Jones
I would be absolutely delighted to meet my hon. Friend; we can talk about data centres at the same time. Carbon capture is an incredibly important part of our future. We know that we have to have it in order to decarbonise some of our very hard-to-decarbonise industries, and I would be delighted to talk about the possible jobs that it could bring as well.
Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)
Local further education colleges are actively pursuing the formation of a skills partnership to meet the opportunity and challenge of potential small modular reactor development in Oldbury in my constituency. Does the Minister welcome their proactive approach, and will she join me in meeting them to better understand the support that the further education sector needs to deliver this vital work?