Oral Answers to Questions

Ian Lavery Excerpts

Thursday 24th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[Chris Huhne]

Let me answer my right hon. Friend. This is not just a question of assessing the costs to the world in the long run if unrestrained climate change is allowed to proceed; it is also a question of energy security in this country and of the costs of the alternative. Given that the oil markets have gone from $60 a barrel two years ago to $80 a barrel last year, and are now at $115 a barrel, my right hon. Friend should be well aware that relying on fossil fuel markets could be extremely damaging to our economic health.

[Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab)]

The Committee on Climate Change has recommended that the carbon intensity of electricity should be reduced from today’s 500 grams of CO₂ per kWh to the highly challenging figure of 50 grams of CO₂ per kWh by 2030. The Energy and Climate Change Committee suggests that the target should be about 100 grams of CO₂ per kWh. Will the Minister or the Secretary of State explain how difficult it would be to achieve the recommendation of the Committee on Climate Change?

[Charles Hendry]

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