Perran Moon
Main Page: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)Department Debates - View all Perran Moon's debates with the Wales Office
(2 days, 5 hours ago)
Commons ChamberIndeed, it is absolutely shocking that Plaid Cymru and the Tories in the Senedd voted against a budget that is giving that money to Welsh farmers.
In June, the Crown Estate announced that it will partner with Equinor and Gwynt Glas to develop floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea. Those projects will create over 5,000 new jobs and will leverage £1.4 billion in private investment. This will deliver generational change in Wales. We are supporting the industry with an £80 million investment in Port Talbot port and a £1 billion clean energy supply chain fund to support offshore wind across the UK.
Meur ras ha myttin da, Mr Speaker—or should I say “Diolch yn fawr”? The proposed floating offshore wind farms in the Celtic sea lie between the two ancient Celtic nations of Wales and Cornwall. The Celtic sea not only will be a valuable source of renewable energy but has the potential to create thousands of jobs across south Wales and Cornwall. Does the Secretary of State agree that local funding for economic development is essential to realise that potential and that, working hand in hand with Cornwall, Wales will play a key role in helping to unleash the Cornish Celtic tiger?
My hon. Friend is right that floating offshore wind presents significant opportunities for Wales and the UK. In the leasing round that just took place we had a first-mover advantage in this technology of the future. Earlier this month, the Energy Secretary granted development consent for the Mona offshore wind farm, which will bolster north Wales’s offshore wind industry. All of that is contributing to securing our energy independence and bringing down bills for people in Cornwall, Wales and the rest of the UK.