Nick Smith
Main Page: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Gregory Barker
My hon. Friend is right. We are very concerned by the impact of EU tariffs on the UK solar industry. In the past three years we have added about 2.5 GW of solar here in the UK. We are making great progress but that could be jeopardised if those tariffs go ahead. I have personally been to Brussels with a number of key stakeholders from the UK solar industry to lobby the Commission, and we will continue to fight on for open borders and for the interests of the UK renewables industry.
Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)
Will the Minister explain why the UK has fallen to seventh in the world for investment in clean energy since the Government came to power?
Gregory Barker
There are a number of surveys, but the Ernst and Young survey shows that the UK is now the fifth most attractive place for renewables investment and deployment, up one place on last year.