Oral Answers to Questions

Rachel Taylor Excerpts

Tuesday 18th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Martin McCluskey]

I share the hon. Member’s concerns about this issue, which is the result of a shocking dereliction of duty by the previous Government in the oversight of these schemes. I am aware of the particular situation in Leicester, and we are undertaking specific work to engage with the community there to ensure that people take up the offer of an audit and therefore get their homes remediated. I am more than happy to meet the hon. Member and any affected Members who have this situation with ECO4 in their constituency.

[Rachel Taylor (North Warwickshire and Bedworth) (Lab)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Minister for Climate are in Brazil at the conference of the parties, fighting for Britain’s interests in the global transition and playing our part in securing leadership on the climate crisis. Since our last oral questions session, we have announced that 250 schools will benefit from Great British Energy’s solar roll-out; SSE has announced £33 billion of private investment in the energy system; we have set out our clean energy jobs plan to create 400,000 new clean energy jobs; and letters have started to arrive for the 6 million families who will receive £150 off their bills this winter. That is the difference this Government are making in order to deliver energy security, climate leadership and good jobs, and to protect households and businesses.

[Rachel Taylor]

Last year, over 1,000 former mineworkers in North Warwickshire and Bedworth benefited from this Government’s historic decision to release the surplus from the mineworkers’ pension scheme. Now, members of the British Coal staff superannuation scheme, such as my constituents Ray Sweet, Don Jennings and Andy Callow, are seeking that same justice. I held an event with the BCSSS members in my constituency, at which I heard from a woman who joined the National Coal Board at 16 and went to the mines at 5.30 in the morning to ensure night shift miners got their pay packets. Could the Minister reassure—

[Mr Speaker]

Order.

[Rachel Taylor]

Could the Minister reassure my constituent and others like her that the Government are doing everything they can—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Sorry, but one of us is going to have to sit down. Please—topical questions are meant to be short and punchy. You cannot do a full statement. I think you ought to try to catch my eye for an Adjournment debate, because this is a very important subject. Minister, I think you have got the principle of the question.