Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Tuesday 14th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Dr Monaghan]

Given that Scotland’s renewable energy will be cheaper than that produced at Hinkley by the time it is complete and that Brexit is already pushing up the build costs of these reactors in an environment where the UK Government have unilaterally decided to abandon the protection of Euratom, will you scrap the costly and inefficient nuclear obsession in favour of a low-carbon future?

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman invests me with powers that I do not possess; that is very good of him.

[Mr Hurd]

Frankly, previous Governments neglected their responsibility to this country to invest in upgrading its power infrastructure, but this Government are grasping that challenge. As I have said, few countries have done more to make the transition to cleaner energy, with a trebling of capacity in renewable electricity, and the commitment to Hinkley offers us the potential for 7% of the country’s electricity—low-carbon based power.

--- Later in debate ---

[Jesse Norman]

I am sure that my hon. Friend will understand that I will not comment on that specific economic issue. However, I admire his awareness of the oil spot price. The Government have managed to engineer a significant fall in oil and gas supply costs on the continental shelf—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. A cerebral Minister is at the box responding to a pertinent inquiry, and the hon. Member for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill (Philip Boswell) is behaving in a mildly boorish fashion—very uncharacteristically. I am sure that this is an exceptional case.

[Jesse Norman]

I am not sure that anyone can recover from the attribution of being “cerebral.”

The way in which the Oil and Gas Authority has lowered costs on the UKCS is testimony to how competitive our economy can be in oil and gas, even when oil prices are falling.

--- Later in debate ---

[Margot James]

The Government are absolutely committed, as the Prime Minister has said on several occasions, to protecting workers’ rights as we leave the European Union. And not just to protect those rights but to enhance them, if necessary. She has set up the Taylor review to examine the details.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Martin Docherty-Hughes. I am sad to note the rather uncharacteristic absence of the hon. Gentleman. We will do our best to bear up with such fortitude as we can muster.

[Kirsty Blackman (Aberdeen North) (SNP)]

A number of small businesses in the oil and gas sector supply chain have been hit disproportionately by the oil price reduction. My hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen South (Callum McCaig) and I held a meeting last week to encourage young businesses to access different methods of capital financing so that they can grow. What are the UK Government doing to encourage such businesses to access capital finance?

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Member for Taunton Deane (Rebecca Pow) looks as though her cup has runneth over. What a happy day for her and, indeed, for Taunton Deane—not to mention the Minister.

[Mr David Nuttall (Bury North) (Con)]

One advantage for small businesses of the United Kingdom leaving the EU is that the House will be free to repeal unwanted EU regulations. What steps is the Minister taking to consult small businesses so that she can identify those regulations?

--- Later in debate ---

[Greg Clark]

I agree with my hon. Friend—he is absolutely right. The reputation of the black country is very strong. There is the phrase

“Made in the Black Country, Sold around the World”,

but to fulfil that we need good skills. Andy Street, being a person of great business experience, is the best person available to bring that business acumen to bringing more businesses to the whole of the west midlands.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. This is supposed to be about an industrial strategy, rather than an electoral strategy, but there you go.

[Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

In passing, may I say that it was the black country that was the birthplace of the industrial revolution, not Coalbrookdale? However, on transport spending, which is key to the industrial strategy for the west midlands, when does the Secretary of State expect to persuade his colleague the Secretary of State for Transport to spend as much per capita in the west midlands as in London?

--- Later in debate ---

[Jesse Norman]

Of course, the impact of rates differs from company to company as regards their solar panels. Three quarters of businesses are projected to have rates that fall next year and there is of course transitional rates relief, but the Department has long recognised the problem in some cases to which she refers, and we are in active discussion with other Departments about it.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Sir Desmond Swayne.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

No. 24—or is it No. 22? [Hon. Members: “No. 23!”]

[Mr Speaker]

The right hon. Gentleman was close on either side.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

23. If he will make it his policy to increase competition within the energy supply market; and if he will make a statement.

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

I am sorry to disappoint the remaining troika, but we must now move on.