Oral Answers to Questions

Marcus Jones Excerpts

Thursday 11th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

3. What steps he is taking to meet future energy demand.

[Mr Marcus Jones (Nuneaton) (Con)]

7. What steps he is taking to meet future energy demand.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

9. What steps he is taking to meet future energy demand.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Davey]

As regards visiting the hon. Gentleman’s constituency and its installations, I shall consult my diary. At a meeting of the Nuclear Industry Council yesterday, we engaged on a range of issues, from skills to finance and future collaboration, and we have put in place the strongest ever supply-chain measures to ensure that the whole country, including people in his constituency, can benefit.

[Mr Marcus Jones]

I commend the Government’s effort to strengthen our energy system and bring about a sustainable reduction in electricity demand, but does the Secretary of State agree that we must take action to ensure that sufficient generating capacity is available in the short term?

[Mr Davey]

I strongly agree with my hon. Friend. It is important that we take action on both the demand and the supply side. With Ofgem and National Grid’s proposals, which are out to consultation, we will see measures on the supply and demand side in the short term, and of course our proposal for a capacity market will do that in the medium term. I hope that he realises that we are looking at every single measure in a very structured way.