Rehman Chishti
Main Page: Rehman Chishti (Conservative - Gillingham and Rainham)(11 years, 2 months ago)
Commons ChamberI do not believe there is a risk, but that is no credit to the Labour party. It has happened because this Government have got their act together on energy security in the short term, the medium term and the long term. Today’s announcement will help energy security in the long term, but we had two announcements in July—one from Ofgem and the National Grid to look at the short term and make sure that we have the balancing extra reserves ready to come on line at the peak; and then my Department’s announcement on next year’s capacity market, which was about ensuring capacity in the medium term. If we put the short-term, medium-term and long-term strategy together, I can reassure my hon. Friend that the lights will stay on.
By and large, I welcome the Secretary of State’s statement. Does he agree that there is no national security risk in this case, that the National Grid Company will have oversight of this plant when it is built and that the Chinese will not have control?