Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Olney Excerpts

Tuesday 10th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Katie White]

I applaud my hon. Friend for all his ambition and championing of the opportunities that are presented in our low-carbon transition plan. Today’s announcement of the local power plan is a real opportunity to turn the dial on this issue, for local communities to become involved, and to make the best of the benefits of the low-carbon transition. I look forward to working with him further on it.

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

5. If he will update the UK emissions trading scheme to reflect the carbon abatement costs of major projects.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Chris McDonald)]

The carbon pricing emissions trading scheme is set by the market, rather than the Government. The price is effective at driving investment in carbon abatement measures, but it is for individual operators to decide whether the costs of abatement in a project are effective for them.

[Sarah Olney]

Last week the Government updated their carbon values to reflect their latest net zero emission target, but the UK emissions trading scheme does not take into account the updated figures. In 2021, it was predicted that carbon abatement for a third runway at Heathrow would cost £100 million, and costs will have only risen since. According to the emissions trading scheme, just 15% of the clean-up costs of expansion will be covered by Heathrow; the rest will fall on the taxpayer. Will the Minister update the UK emissions trading scheme to reflect the carbon abatement costs of major projects such as Heathrow expansion, so that the taxpayer can understand how much they will have to pay for a third runway?

Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Olney Excerpts

Tuesday 6th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Michael Shanks]

I was delighted to meet my hon. Friend recently to talk about this exciting project in York and the wider developments that go alongside it. We see huge potential from geothermal. As she rightly says, how we structure these projects is important if we are to take them forward as quickly as possible. My noble Friend Lord Whitehead has a particular focus on geothermal, and I am sure that he will be very happy to meet my hon. Friend.

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

Mr Speaker,

“We owe it to future generations not just to have good environmental principles but to act on them. That is why I will be voting against the third runway at Heathrow”—

not my words, but the words of the Secretary of State in 2018. Given that Heathrow is already the biggest single source of carbon emissions in the UK, and that expansion will add an extra 8 to 9 megatonnes of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere, can the Secretary of State confirm that it is still his intention to vote against a third runway at Heathrow?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Katie White)]

The Secretary of State regularly meets Cabinet colleagues about these issues. This Government are absolutely clear that any expansion of Heathrow must be compatible with our legally binding carbon budgets and net zero targets. We are committed to ensuring that the economic benefits of airport expansions are delivered in line with our environmental and climate objectives.

--- Later in debate ---

[Ed Miliband]

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. I am happy to respond, because we are going to deal in the facts. Bills were lower in 2025 than in 2024 in real terms, and the price cap was lower—and, of course, making a seasonal comparison makes no sense. We are going to trade in the facts.

[Sarah Olney]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I asked the Secretary of State a direct question about his former statements and how they conflict with current Government policy. Would you agree that the Secretary of State should have directly answered me?

[Mr Speaker]

I do not have an opinion, and I am not responsible for that, but you have certainly got that on the record.