Margot James
Main Page: Margot James (Conservative - Stourbridge)Department Debates - View all Margot James's debates with the HM Treasury
(11 years, 1 month ago)
Commons ChamberIt stands completely alongside that promise. First, I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s positive remarks about strike prices and he will see in the document we published today strike prices for all the other forms of renewable energy. Of course, in the case of nuclear, there is a detailed and ongoing commercial negotiation. I am sure that he would think it right for us to drive a hard bargain in those negotiations, because of course these prices will have to be paid by consumers for 50 years to come.
I very much welcome the shift from entitlements and consumption to capital investment that will create jobs now and underpin our future prosperity. It represents a crucial part of the Chancellor’s rebalancing of the economy strategy. Will my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary comment on the benefit of the plans to regions outside London and the south-east, such as my own area of the west midlands? Will we see more projects like the excellent new transport interchange opened in my constituency of Stourbridge last year?
I welcome that project, which is another example of projects being delivered by this Government during this Parliament. Of course, the plans I have set out today on roads, on energy and on rail will directly benefit every part of this country, including the west midlands. The hon. Lady is right that even at a time of austerity we are squeezing spending wherever we can to realise more resources for investment in the long-term infrastructure needs of this country. That is the right strategy and it is a shame the Opposition seem to oppose it.