Private Low-carbon Investment: Green Finance Institute Report

Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate Excerpts

Monday 9th December 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab)]

My Lords, that is an interesting question. Clearly, one issue about taking forward such a scheme is that one does not want to make it difficult for people to sell their homes. Again, I suggest that evidence from the US shows that, although the intention was for the charge to stay with the property, when it came to individuals, many sellers wiped off the charge to make the sale realisable. We need to keep a careful eye on ensuring that if we introduce such a scheme we do not have a negative impact on the housing market in the way the noble Lord has suggested.

[Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Con)]

My Lords, I have asked several Questions recently in connection with solar panels, particularly solar farms, which occupy good agricultural land in this country. Surely the Government can do more to encourage the installation of solar panels, both on domestic properties and, more particularly, on industrial properties, where there are large roof spaces available for solar panels. Would that not be a much better idea?

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab)]

My Lords, I very much take the noble Lord’s suggestions. We have seen a big expansion in solar; we could see more. I agree with him about industrial sites, but we also need ground-based solar, and the fact is that, even if we achieved all our ambitions around solar, it would take a very small percentage of agricultural land to provide it.