Oral Answers to Questions

Tonia Antoniazzi Excerpts

Tuesday 21st July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

What plans he has to promote a green recovery from the covid-19 outbreak.

[Tonia Antoniazzi (Gower) (Lab)]

What plans he has to promote a green recovery from the covid-19 outbreak.

[The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth (Kwasi Kwarteng)]

The Prime Minister has made clear our intention to build back greener. We are taking action to deliver on that commitment, including through a commitment of over £3 billion to reduce emissions from our buildings across the UK, £800 million to promote carbon capture from power stations and industry, and a further £100 million being invested in R&D in direct air capture technologies.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

As the hon. Lady knows, we are absolutely committed to creating green-collar jobs. Today, we have 460,000 of those jobs across the UK; by 2030, we have stated our commitment to have 2 million such jobs. No one can deny our commitment to creating green jobs. I would further add that we are also committed to making the UK a science superpower, and we will make innovation central to our green recovery. That is absolutely front and centre of what the Government are trying to do.

[Tonia Antoniazzi]

Commenting on his own report back in 2017, Charles Hendry said,

“the evidence is clear that tidal lagoons can play a cost effective role in the UK’s energy mix”.

This Government still have not managed to back the oven-ready pathfinder tidal energy project in Swansea bay. When will they recognise the opportunities, the new green jobs and the inward investment support that tidal power can bring to Swansea, Wales and the rest of the UK?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

We are absolutely committed, as the hon. Lady knows, to tidal power and all forms of marine power. There was a specific issue with the Swansea bay tidal lagoon project, which was that it was felt not to be economical. That was a specific, project-based, single incidence where we did not feel that it was value for taxpayers’ money.