Oral Answers to Questions

David Hamilton Excerpts

Thursday 1st November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. May I remind the House that there is much interest in topical questions, which I am keen to accommodate? Brief questions and brief answers would assist.

[Mr David Hamilton (Midlothian) (Lab)]

T6. Cockenzie coal-fired power station, in my neighbouring county, will close very shortly. That will be followed by a spate of closures of coal-fired power stations. What discussions is the Minister having about the gap that that will leave and the skills that will be lost in that important industry, and indeed in what we still have of the coal industry?

[Mr Hayes]

The hon. Gentleman is right that one challenge that the Government and the country face is ensuring that we get sufficient capacity, taking account of closures. It is true that our generating stock is ageing, and there are of course issues to do with the gradual end of coal and an ageing nuclear stock, so capacity is critical. Part of our reforms in the Energy Bill will be to do exactly what he asks and create sufficient incentive for investment to meet that capacity challenge.