G7

Diana Johnson Excerpts

Wednesday 10th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

As President Obama said before the election, given that Britain and America are two of the fastest-growing countries in the west, we must be doing something right.

[Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)]

If we are to play our part in meeting the G7’s commitment to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in this century, we will need binding targets such as the 2030 decarbonisation target, which could bring huge investment to areas such as Hull. Will the Prime Minister commit to bringing in such a binding target in the next two years?

[The Prime Minister]

I would draw the hon. Lady’s attention to the difference between the 2030 date and the end of the century date. I am all for decarbonising electricity as fast as we can, but we need to know that the means is there to do it. I want to know that carbon capture and storage really works before we make that commitment, otherwise we will not be able to have gas or coal plants and we will be left with only nuclear and renewables, which I do not think is a balanced energy mix.