Oral Answers to Questions

Dave Doogan Excerpts

Tuesday 29th April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Jones]

I was delighted that last week the Government were able to announce an initial £300 million through Great British Energy to invest in supply chains for domestic offshore wind. The fund will boost domestic jobs, mobilise additional private investment and secure manufacturing facilities for critical clean energy supply chains. We are publishing our industrial strategy in the spring, which will set out our approach to the highest growth-driving sectors, including clean energy industries.

[Dave Doogan (Angus and Perthshire Glens) (SNP)]

There was more good news last week for carbon capture, usage and storage workers in England, with £200 million in supply chain contracts for the Liverpool Bay HyNet project, which will even benefit north Wales now. That is on top of the £22 billion that benefits Teesside and Merseyside. I have checked, and those places were not the centre of the UK’s energy industry for the last five years. Why have the Government not allocated a single penny to the Acorn project in Scotland, where the clock is ticking and where investors are very concerned that this Government are not serious about it?

[Sarah Jones]

I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s support for Government policy and for our investment in CCUS. As he knows, Acorn is a matter for the spending review. I talk to many industries in Scotland, and everyone is supportive of the scheme. We support the scheme and are working closely with industry, but it is a matter for the spending review.