Annual Energy Statement

Nicholas Dakin Excerpts

Thursday 31st October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Davey]

I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s question. The code of conduct, which the Minister of State with responsibility for energy, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Michael Fallon), has negotiated, will stop that practice.

[Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe) (Lab)]

Despite the Secretary of State’s answers to earlier questions, Tata Steel, which announced 340 job losses in my constituency this week, is still saying that the carbon floor tax, unilaterally introduced by the Chancellor, is putting its businesses in the UK at risk, compared with the rest of the European Union. Will the Secretary of Sate commit to working with the Business Secretary and the Chancellor to bring action forward rapidly to address that issue?

[Mr Davey]

I have to tell the hon. Gentleman that we have been working together closely and that is having an effect—we are succeeding. We want the state aid case for the carbon price floor compensation scheme to come out of Brussels. We are working hard to make that happen.