Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Gloria De Piero

Main Page: Gloria De Piero (Labour - Ashfield)

Oral Answers to Questions

Gloria De Piero Excerpts
Thursday 7th July 2011

(13 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. I am extremely obliged to the Secretary of State.

Gloria De Piero Portrait Gloria De Piero (Ashfield) (Lab)
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Underground heat pumps and solar panels will become a fact of life for us all in the not-so-distant future. What are the Government doing to help areas such as mine—former coalfield areas—to play a part in manufacturing these things so that once again we can power Britain and the world?

Chris Huhne Portrait Chris Huhne
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We have seen enormous growth in low-carbon goods and services. In fact, the sector now employs 910,000 people across the UK economy so it is no longer a cottage industry—it is serious stuff. In relation to the green deal, particularly some of the kit being manufactured for it, we are in discussions with manufacturers to try to ensure that they are thinking about the scale on which the green deal will operate, because obviously if the market is relatively small, there will not be the economies of scale that can get prices down and the opportunities up. I am determined—