Energy Update

Debate between Jacob Young and Greg Hands

Monday 5th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Greg Hands]

Public services have always been well supported by this Government throughout the 12 years that we have been in power. When it comes to future taxation, that is, of course, a matter for the Treasury and the Prime Minister.

[Jacob Young (Redcar) (Con)]

I am grateful to the Minister for his answers on support for energy-intensive industries such as those in my area. He knows that Teesside is the centre of the green industrial revolution in the UK, with our nuclear power station at Hartlepool, wind power manufacturing on both the north and the south side of the river, and large-scale carbon capture, utilisation and storage and hydrogen production in Redcar and Cleveland. As well as looking at new measures to increase such supply, we must tackle demand. Does he agree that we should invest further in energy efficiency and retrofitting homes, as many families could save hundreds of pounds on their energy bills by simply insulating their homes properly?

[Greg Hands]

My hon. Friend is always a strong voice for Redcar and Teesside. I think that every single question he has ever asked me has included hydrogen somewhere. He is auditioning, I think, to be the UK’s Mr Hydrogen. He has mentioned CCUS as well, which is a big priority of ours, and he is absolutely right to say that energy efficiency is so important. If we can reduce the amount of energy that is used to create the same level of heating in people’s homes, clearly that is a massive gain. That is why we have invested £6.6 billion over the course of this Parliament in energy efficiency.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jacob Young and Greg Hands

Wednesday 29th June 2022 Commons Chamber

[Greg Hands]

I thank the hon. Member for her question and I agree with her sentiments. We are engaging continuously on CCUS with the Acorn cluster and other possibilities. I agree with her on the impact that the SNP would have on energy policy. The SNP is anti-nuclear and anti-oil and gas. It is hard to see where it thinks it is going to get its energy from in the event of independence; perhaps it has some idea of a future deal with Vladimir Putin.

[Jacob Young (Redcar) (Con)]

Carbon capture and storage is critical for the production of blue hydrogen and, therefore, in helping us to reach the Government’s 2030 hydrogen target. What opportunities does the Minister see for the potential of the hydrogen economy in Scotland, Teesside and the rest of the UK?

[Greg Hands]

I thank my hon. Friend, the chair of the all-party group on hydrogen, for his continuing support for hydrogen-related and CCUS-related projects. We see that as offering opportunities for the whole of the UK. Teesside will play a big part in it, as will Scotland and other parts of England and Wales. We see it as a big whole of the UK effort, crucial to levelling up and to the Union.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jacob Young and Greg Hands

Wednesday 19th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Jacob Young (Redcar) (Con)]

The Minister will know that Teesside is the hydrogen capital of the UK, where we already produce more than 50% of our commercially viable hydrogen, so will he consider throwing his weight behind Redcar and Cleveland’s bid to become home to the UK’s first hydrogen village by 2025?

[Greg Hands]

I thank my hon. Friend for that question. He knows that we are co-operating very closely internationally and domestically on hydrogen. On Redcar’s bid, he is a passionate advocate for all things related to Redcar, and his message has been heard loud and clear by the Government.

Continuity Trade Agreements: Parliamentary Scrutiny

Debate between Jacob Young and Greg Hands

Tuesday 17th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Greg Hands]

I remind the hon. Member that the deals that we have rolled over represent around three quarters of the programme. We have updated businesses, as we have updated this House, after each of those deals to make sure that they are kept apprised. When it comes to Canada, of course, this is a live negotiation. We have contact happening every day with Canada. It is worth remembering that Canada actually walked away from the negotiation in 2019, and did not return to the table until July this year. As soon as Canada returned, we put in place a negotiating team and we got on with it.

[Jacob Young (Redcar) (Con) [V]]

Trade, and the jobs, investment and prosperity it brings, is an incredibly powerful way to level up our country and transform left-behind places such as Redcar and Cleveland. Does my right hon. Friend agree that promoting trade and helping our businesses to export is the best way to rebuild and reshape our economy?

[Greg Hands]

I thank my hon. Friend and he is absolutely right. We have talked very much about the trade policy aspects of this Department. We are engaging very strongly with the US, for example, on steel tariffs. I know that is something his constituents will keep an ongoing interest in, making sure that those unnecessary and counterproductive tariffs are removed. But when it comes to the wider picture, the Department for International Trade more broadly works incredibly hard at promoting both the exports and inward investment that I know will be really important to his Redcar constituents.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jacob Young and Greg Hands

Thursday 8th October 2020 Commons Chamber

[Greg Hands]

I thank the right hon. Lady for that question. She is referring, of course, to the Cotonou agreement, which is shortly to expire. There are two things to take away from this. The first is the importance of keeping the continuity of our trading relations with Cameroon. That is very important for the Cameroon economy overall. Secondly, we continue to raise at every level with Cameroon our concern about human rights, both across the country in general and those affecting the anglophone community in the south-west of the country. On the deal itself, there will be no diminution in the human rights clauses of the existing EU deal, which I think is what she is seeking to criticise.

[Jacob Young (Redcar) (Con)]

What progress she has made in securing a free trade agreement with Australia.