Lord Cryer
Main Page: Lord Cryer (Labour - Life peer)(12 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Chris Huhne
We will therefore bring forward that package with a consultation paper, and there will be detailed proposals at that point.
John Cryer (Leyton and Wanstead) (Lab)
In the light of the court case that has been mentioned and the Secretary of State’s comments this morning, it is clear that the Department is no longer fit for purpose. Is he really telling the House that he is going to drag the Government’s reputation further into the mire and waste further large amounts of taxpayers’ money in order to pursue what is really a wasted cause?
Chris Huhne
Let me reiterate the point that, if we were merely to accept the number of installations after our reference date and before 3 March, we would add £1.5 billion to the total cost of the scheme. That is what Opposition Members are asking us to do. If we were to go further, the cost would be even greater. If the hon. Gentleman thinks that that is a price worth paying, he is entirely consistent with what else Opposition Members say on economic policy, but it is not something that will be entertained by Government Members.