Britishvolt

Ian Levy Excerpts

Wednesday 25th January 2023 Commons Chamber

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con)]

I thank the hon. Member for Wansbeck (Ian Lavery) for allowing me to speak briefly in his debate. I would like to make it clear that Britishvolt is in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency, but its regional office was in Blyth on the other side of the river, as is JDR Cables.

Unlike the hon. Gentleman, I accept that it was right for the Government to set milestones that had to be met in order to receive taxpayers’ money. It is regrettable that Britishvolt could not fulfil its business plan, which would have triggered a staged release of public funds, but giving a business £100 million of taxpayers’ money without conditions would have been completely indefensible, no matter how much we all want the plan to succeed. I want it to succeed, and the hon. Gentleman wants it to succeed, and I do hope that we can work together.

Since my election, I have been a big supporter of the project to build a gigafactory on the Blyth estuary, and despite the disappointing news about Britishvolt I will continue to champion this opportunity. I welcome statements from the Government in recent days that Ministers wish to ensure the best outcome for the site, and I will work closely with the local authority and potential investors to achieve this. Despite articles in the national press this week seeking to run down our area, people in Blyth and Blyth Valley are working hard and will make the most of the opportunities to work in skilled roles. The Blyth area is still a significant centre for the renewables sector, with businesses based in Blyth, JDR Cables’ huge investment in the area next to the Britishvolt site and the excellent work that the offshore catapult is doing on the estuary to support the industry with cutting-edge research and development. The north-east really is at the cutting edge of investment and innovation and the site still offers a massive opportunity to the right developer, as the hon. Gentleman says. We need to work together to do this.

At the site of the old Blyth power station, there is excellent power connectivity with the ability to hook up to the interconnector. This would allow us to draw green renewable energy from Norway. On the estuary, we have the only deep water port in Northumberland. We have easy access to the A1 and the national road networks, as well as good rail connections. Most importantly, there is a strong and willing workforce, and the schools, colleges and skills providers are all raring to get people prepared for the 3,000 jobs on the shop floor that this project will bring, along with another 5,000 jobs in the supply chain. I will work with anyone—the Government, the council, the hon. Gentleman and anyone who believes in what Blyth and the area have to offer—to attract potential investors to the site and make sure that this project goes ahead.

Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill

Ian Levy Excerpts

Committee stage
Wednesday 12th October 2022 Public Bill Committees

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con)]

Does my hon. Friend agree that the Bill will encourage people who work in the hospitality industry to realise that they are actually going to get the tips for the service they give? In itself, that will encourage better service, because it will give people that feeling that they want to put more into the job.

[Dean Russell]

Absolutely. The Bill will give everyone certainty: in a time of particular uncertainty, especially as we face the cost of living crisis, people will know where they stand. Of course, it will take some time for the legislation fully to come into force, but organisations should put measures in place now rather than wait for the law to change. That is how it should have been anyway, but the Bill will make sure that businesses with bad practices deliver the right thing in the short term and onwards.

Oral Answers to Questions

Ian Levy Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd February 2022 Commons Chamber

[George Freeman]

Yes, I would be delighted to meet the hon. Gentleman. He makes an important point. The truth is that the next frontier in neurodegenerative science will be a mixture of neural pathways, neural mapping, digital science and deep-tissue phenomic and genomic science, which is why I was recently in Switzerland at the institute of neuroscience in Lucerne to see whether we can establish a collaboration.

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con)]

14. What steps he is taking to help support the growth of the automotive sector.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Lee Rowley)]

The Government support growth by offering the automotive sector certainty, by making clear statements about our intentions regarding petrol and diesel vehicles and by supporting investment, innovation and a resilient supply chain via a taxpayer subsidy through the automotive transformation fund and the Advanced Propulsion Centre.

[Ian Levy]

Following the recent announcement of £100 million of Government funding for Britishvolt in Northumberland, does my hon. Friend agree that this is only the beginning of the transition to a clean, green economy and that my constituents in Blyth Valley, as well as many others across the north, can look forward to a bright and prosperous future?

Oral Answers to Questions

Ian Levy Excerpts

Tuesday 16th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

I completely refute the hon. Lady’s allegation that those things are all words. The innovation strategy is the first of its kind. It has been broadly welcomed across the sector, and she will know that dementia is one of the seven technologies in engineering and biology that we are pursuing in the innovation strategy.

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con)]

2. What steps his Department is taking to help support the generation of offshore wind energy.

[Lia Nici (Great Grimsby) (Con)]

19. What steps his Department is taking to help support the generation of offshore wind energy.

[The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Kwasi Kwarteng)]

The Government recently announced £380 million for our world-leading offshore wind sector, which is boosting jobs and investment across the UK. My hon. Friend will know that the allocation round 4 opens in December, and we are very much looking forward to the bids in that round.

[Ian Levy]

The House has often heard me talk about Blyth Valley being at the heart of the green industrial revolution. Catapult, in the Port of Blyth, has tested the largest windmill blades in the world for years. We need to continue to be at the forefront of blade testing, to hold our No. 1 position on the global stage. Will my right hon. Friend agree to meet me and the management team from Catapult to make sure that we continue to lead in the race to a greener future?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

I would be delighted to see my hon. Friend and the great people who are working on the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult in Blyth. It is a fantastic development and the people working there will surely allow us to hit the 40 GW target for offshore wind in 2030.