Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Philip Hollobone

Main Page: Philip Hollobone (Conservative - Kettering)

Oral Answers to Questions

Philip Hollobone Excerpts
Thursday 17th September 2015

(8 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Amber Rudd Portrait Amber Rudd
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I do not share the hon. Gentleman’s interpretation of what has happened. The Government are completely committed to innovation and are absolutely admiring of the areas in the industry where innovation is changing things. For instance, I named storage, where we think there will be great opportunity for more solar deployment.

Philip Hollobone Portrait Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)
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Despite the Government’s policy announcements, investor confidence in green energy in the borough of Kettering appears still to be high, because, much to residents’ alarm, fresh applications for solar farms are being submitted to the local council. What can the Government do to get solar energy out of our agricultural fields and on to the big roofs of warehouses?

Amber Rudd Portrait Amber Rudd
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My hon. Friend raises a key point. It is the Government’s aim to ensure that subsidy support is only temporary, and we are hearing that solar could soon be without subsidy, which is something we want to encourage. Finally, just to agree with him, we much prefer, and will try to encourage, roof-top solar, rather than solar in fields.