Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Shanks and Anna Dixon

Tuesday 4th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Michael Shanks]

My hon. Friend is, of course, right to say that, even if oil and gas are extracted from the continental shelf, they are sold on the international markets. The companies that extract the oil and gas are in the business of trying to make as much profit as possible and will sell to the highest bidder, so it does not protect prices for consumers in this country. We were clear in our manifesto that we will not issue licences for new exploration and new fields, but that we will continue to support those licences that have already been issued. Our future does not lie in more oil and gas; it lies in clean power, which is why we are moving at pace to deliver that.

[Anna Dixon (Shipley) (Lab)]

7. What steps he is taking to introduce the warm homes plan.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Shanks and Anna Dixon

Tuesday 8th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Anna Dixon (Shipley) (Lab)]

T9. I welcome the Government’s commitment to increasing renewable energy generation. An important component of that is the development of associated infrastructure, including battery storage facilities such as those proposed in Cullingworth in my constituency. How do the Government plan to ensure that the safety of residents is not put at risk by such developments, and that there is clear community benefit from any renewable energy plans and the associated infrastructure?

[Michael Shanks]

Batteries will play an important part in the short-duration storage required for the energy system we are building for the future. It is a question of balance. Communities will be engaged in the consultation process, and I will be convening a roundtable with providers of battery technology and other short-duration storage in the next few months to learn both from projects that have worked well and from projects on which we could do better in future. I will happily share any information from that with my hon. Friend.