Oral Answers to Questions

Paul Blomfield Excerpts

Thursday 6th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)]

4. What his assessment is of the potential effect on the UK wind industry of not setting a target to decarbonise the power sector by 2030.

[Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central) (Lab)]

7. What representations he has received on setting a target to decarbonise the power sector by 2030.

[Alison Seabeck (Plymouth, Moor View) (Lab)]

13. What representations he has received on setting a target to decarbonise the power sector by 2030.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Davey]

The hon. Lady needs to look at what has happened. We have drafted the legislation so that we can set a target and that has been welcomed. She should remember that when the draft Energy Bill was published and we first started to discuss electricity market reform, there were no proposals to set a power sector decarbonisation target—not from the Opposition or from any other party in this House—but I, as Secretary of State, argued in the Government to set such a target, and that is what we have done.

[Paul Blomfield]

We have very little economic growth in this country at the moment, but last year the CBI estimated that one third of the growth that there is comes from green business. To keep growing, green businesses say they need certainty about Government policy and they want a target in law to decarbonise the power sector by 2030. Why are the Government refusing to listen?

[Mr Davey]

I am afraid it is the Opposition who are refusing to listen. They should look at the Energy Bill, in which we have legislated for the power to set a decarbonisation target—the first country in the world to do so.