Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Ed Davey and Lord Stunell(10 years, 2 months ago)
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Sir Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove) (LD)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (Mr Edward Davey)
Since the previous Energy and Climate Change oral questions, we have made significant progress for consumers, with all the large energy firms confirming they will have met my target to cut switching times in half at the end of the year, and with the good news this week that some independent energy retailers such as First Utility have committed to halving switching times this year.
I can confirm to the House that the EU has agreed ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets following two years of negotiations in which the UK played a leading role. Thanks to the Government’s long-term, medium-term and short-term plans, our energy security remains rated the best in the European Union and among the best in the world.
Sir Andrew Stunell
My constituent Sara Martin has been ripped off by Network Green Deal Ltd of Oakham, Rutland, a green deal assessment firm. She complained but her complaint has fallen because she did not take out the green deal itself. Her complaints to the regulator and the Department of Energy and Climate Change were brushed off, as were mine. Will the Secretary of State meet me to find an urgent remedy for my constituent and others like her who are victims of assessment firms that recklessly, or perhaps fraudulently, take money from them?
Energy Markets Competition Assessment
Debate between Ed Davey and Lord Stunell(10 years, 10 months ago)
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Mr Davey
It is always nice to have charm in the House. I have to tell the hon. Gentleman that Labour’s proposals include introducing a pool. The problem is that the day-ahead market, which is like the pool, has grown dramatically under this Government. That is one of the reasons why I said that Labour’s policies are absolutely flawed: because the Opposition have not looked at what is actually happening. Indeed, I asked the right hon. Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) in that debate whether she had read the report and it was clear that she had not. That is one of the reasons why we think Labour’s policy proposals are flawed.
Sir Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove) (LD)
As a Liberal Democrat, I very much welcome today’s statement and the vigorous way in which the Secretary of State set about it. Does he share my view that it is amazing that Labour, having set up both the big six energy companies and Ofgem to regulate them, should now be so grudging about his taking the action necessary to ensure that consumers get a fair deal?
Mr Davey
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. The Labour party created the big six, and now it seems to be worried about the fact that we are trying to take action. Its policy would entrench the big six, and would undermine the competition that we have delivered. The Labour party set up Ofgem, and now it wants to abolish it. People listening to the Labour party and looking at its record must be astonished that it has the gall even to pretend that it has a sensible energy policy.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Ed Davey and Lord Stunell
Sir Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove) (LD)
T2. Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating Stockport Hydro, a micro-power generation social enterprise, and will he explain how he is going to make it easier for similar projects to prosper in the future?
Mr Davey
I pay tribute to all the people who have worked on that community energy project. Micro-hydro plays a real role at community level. Last month we published the community energy call for evidence, which will cover issues that affect local community developers of micro-hydro. There have been problems, and my right hon. Friend has raised them with me, but I urge him and people who want to develop micro-hydro to respond to that call for evidence so that we can get it right in future.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Ed Davey and Lord Stunell(12 years, 1 month ago)
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Andrew Stunell
Thank you, Mr Speaker. As a Liberal Democrat, I am pleased with the progress that the Department is making on decarbonising Britain, but, bearing in mind that 50% of carbon emissions come from buildings, will the Secretary of State tell the House what discussions he is having with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government about making sure that zero-carbon homes are on track for delivery in 2016?
Mr Davey
I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for his question. I know that he did an awful lot of work on this issue himself. The Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Mr Foster), is working on it and, when we discuss it as a Government, we will make our views clear. Zero-carbon homes are very important.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Ed Davey and Lord Stunell(12 years, 3 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove) (LD)
Energy demand management must be based on reducing demand in the home. Will Ministers assure the House that they are working closely with colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government to ensure that building standards reflect the need to improve the performance of our homes?
Mr Davey
I can confirm exactly that. I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend for the fantastic work he has done in pursuing those policies for many years, not least as a Minister in the DCLG. He will know that the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Mr Foster), is continuing his excellent work.