Vauxhall (Redundancies)

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 16th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Claire Perry]

As I have said, I do not think that anyone wants us to re-run the Brexit debate. We need to get on with this and make sure that the outcome—it represents the majority view in the constituencies that the majority of Government and Opposition Members represent, so we must deliver on it—is the best possible result for the workers of Ellesmere Port, the workers that support the industry and workers right across Britain’s industrial and manufacturing base.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

We are exporting automobiles very successfully to the United States against a 10% tariff. How much better would we do with free trade?

[Claire Perry]

My right hon. Friend invites me to comment on the estimates held by Her Majesty’s Treasury, but I can tell him that we are one of the major exporters of automobiles in Europe and around the world, and we need to maintain that. Indeed, we make and export one in five of the electric vehicles driven on the continent, so we are already pivoting towards that new technology. Let us make sure we get more investment, so that we can continue to employ more people in the future.

Clean Growth Strategy

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 12th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Claire Perry]

The right hon. Gentleman and I are both really pleased at what has happened in the renewables sector. He is right to focus on energy efficiency because of course that drives down people’s bills—there is a huge win there. Yes, I can confirm that we are going forward with the legislation. He and I were both heavily involved in the design of the green deal, one of the facilitating mechanisms. Clearly, it did not work out as we would have liked.

We want to consider new ways of financing that transition, which is why we are asking our green finance taskforce to focus particularly on green mortgages and see whether we can bring forward other financing mechanisms. I understand the right hon. Gentleman’s point about zero-carbon homes, but I want to make sure that our regulations are absolutely fit for purpose, both for new homes and any additional works done. He would agree that we cannot do that work unilaterally without full reference to the Hackett review of the Grenfell fire safety issue. We intend to consider those regulations to see what more can be done, but it is right to sequence it in that matter.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Will my bills go up?

[Claire Perry]

The answer is no. Although we have all invested in some of these progressive energy investments, prices are clearly falling. Only a couple of weeks ago, I opened the first subsidy-free solar farm in the UK. As we have pushed towards this low-carbon future, my right hon. Friend’s bills have likely gone down. He will be using less energy in his home because of the LED light bulbs he has installed and all the new appliances he has bought, which are much more energy efficient.

Retail Energy

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 12th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

I welcome the support from the cross-party group of which the right hon. Lady has been part, along with my hon. Friends. However, while she talks about the data being available, she seems to have forgotten that her party was in government for 13 years. It was this Government who exposed the degree of overcharging and it is this Government who are acting on it, so it is this Government who are standing up for consumers.

The right hon. Lady asked about relief this winter. As I have said, I welcome the extra relief, although I think that Ofgem should go further. It has said that it expects energy companies to move customers off the standard variable tariffs, but we are acting to ensure that that is backed up by an instruction and a requirement.

The use of the legislation mentioned by the right hon. Lady—I have of course examined it and taken advice—would have the consequence of increasing other prices, rather than capping the overall price, which is why the backstop power in the draft Bill is necessary.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

rose—

[Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Battle of the New Forests! I call Sir Desmond Swayne.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

I want to escape this Marxist universe. We cap university fees and, lo and behold, all the universities charge the maximum. Can the Secretary of State persuade me that electricity will be any different?

[Greg Clark]

As my right hon. Friend will know, there is a vigorous competitive market for deals that are available through a great many new entrants, and we want to expand that market. The CMA has established that at present there is insufficient competition in the standard variable tariffs. Our aim is to expand the competitive part of the market and in the meantime provide some protection for those who are paying too much on those tariffs.

Higher Education Funding

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Wednesday 11th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Joseph Johnson]

I thank the hon. Lady for her suggestion. We continue to keep that aspect of the system under watch. Clearly, it is important that courses that are more expensive to deliver receive appropriate support from the Government. Obviously funds are not unlimited and we have to be careful in terms of promising further resources to all subjects, but we keep it under review.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

The right hon. Member for Twickenham (Sir Vince Cable) described the current regime as having all the advantages of a graduate tax with none of the disadvantages. Is that not still the case, and would we not want to avoid the ridiculous situation at the University of St Andrews, where Scottish student numbers are capped at 20%?

[Joseph Johnson]

My right hon. Friend puts it very well. Our system has enabled us to release student number controls, an option that has not been available to the Scottish Government precisely because they have not got the balance right between the individual student and the general taxpayer. I entirely agree with him.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Tuesday 12th September 2017 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

1. What steps he is taking to ensure the accuracy of carbon emission measurements.

[The Minister of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Claire Perry)]

The UK’s measurement of carbon emissions is considered among the best in the world, with a 97% accuracy rate. Indeed, our inventory of carbon emissions is among the world’s most comprehensive, covering all sectors of the economy. However, we are always looking to improve our accuracy in this area, and that work is guided by the National Inventory Steering Committee, which meets twice a year.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

Excellent! Are we on track to meet our fourth carbon budget from 2023 to 2027?

[Claire Perry]

I hope that my right hon. Friend will also consider excellent the fact that we overachieved against our first carbon budget to 2012 and that we are on track to over-achieve by 5% and 4% respectively against our second and third carbon budgets. However, I am afraid that he is being his usual mischievous self in asking about the fourth carbon budget, which is something that I shall be talking more about when we launch our clean growth strategy, so he will have to be patient just a little bit longer.

Tuition Fees

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Wednesday 19th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Joseph Johnson]

A better way of looking at it is that the Government are making the most resources available to the people who are most in need of them. We want people from disadvantaged backgrounds to go to university. We are delighted that they are doing so in record numbers, and that they are now 43% more likely to do so than they ever were before.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

If we were to put the best possible gloss on what the Leader of the Opposition said, and imagine that he was merely misunderstood in his intentions by students when he said that he would “deal with it”, what faith can we put in the new language that is being used? It is now being said that the Opposition will merely “look at” a number of propositions. If we cannot trust what “deal with” means, how can we possibly trust merely “look at”?

[Joseph Johnson]

That is exactly right. The Opposition’s policy platform is collapsing before our eyes. The inevitable next step is their abandonment of the albatross around their neck that is their policy of abolishing tuition fees in their entirety. They are currently saddled with it. They are trying to wriggle off the hook of their clear promise to abolish student debt, and they will soon be trying to get rid of that appalling albatross of getting rid of tuition fees in total. As I have said, abolishing student debt would mean a huge addition to our net debt. The proposal to abolish tuition fees and reinstate maintenance grants would add £12 billion to the national deficit, which is equivalent to 0.7% of GDP and to an additional 2.5p on the basic rate of income tax.

Taylor Review: Working Practices

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Tuesday 11th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Margot James]

As I have said, many individuals want to work in the flexible way that is afforded by zero-hours contracts, and almost 70% of people on those contracts are happy with their hours. As I have also said, we must take steps to promote the value of good work as an opportunity for the third who are not, whether they are in Wales or the rest of the United Kingdom.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

The Minister tells us that 20% of such people are students and that 70% are satisfied. Can she complete the hat-trick by telling us what the mean weekly earnings for someone on a zero-hours contract actually are?

[Margot James]

I am afraid I will have to write to my right hon. Friend with that answer.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Tuesday 27th June 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Single-sentence inquiries are now required.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

The Minister spoke of peer-to-peer exchanges of energy. I have no idea what they are, but given the enthusiasm she has brought to her brief I believe that we all deserve a tutorial. Could that be arranged?

[Claire Perry]

It would be a pleasure to educate my right hon. Friend. Let us think of it as a lot of hot air being generated by one particular point and being shared around many other data points. It is part of our future, Mr Speaker.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Tuesday 14th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Sir Desmond Swayne.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

No. 24—or is it No. 22? [Hon. Members: “No. 23!”]

[Mr Speaker]

The right hon. Gentleman was close on either side.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

23. If he will make it his policy to increase competition within the energy supply market; and if he will make a statement.

[The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Greg Clark)]

I will respond shortly to the Competition and Markets Authority report, and I will take steps to increase competition and help consumers.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

If the Secretary of State is successful in engendering much greater competition, will we need a regulator at all?

[Greg Clark]

The aim of Government policy must be to have such vigorous competition in markets that that takes care of itself. Unfortunately, I do not think we are in that position, so I am determined to make sure that customers are treated fairly.

Opel/Vauxhall: Sale to PSA Group

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 6th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his engagement over the past few weeks. He knows the workforce in Luton well and what he says about them is absolutely right. There is a big opportunity across the automotive sector to increase the supply chain. It is one of the areas where we can make further progress in what is already a successful sector. We will do that through the industrial strategy and it will have my personal engagement.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Might that opportunity to increase the UK component of the component supply chain be increased if there is to be a change in our relationship with the internal market?

[Greg Clark]

We want to make sure that we have the best possible trading relationship with the rest of the single market, but whether we were leaving or staying in the EU the opportunity to get more suppliers in this country is there, and I am determined that we should take it.