Energy Bill

Will the Minister confirm that eight plants are closing under the EU directive already, and if an...

I was coming on to the list of stations that have closed. My right hon. Friend is absolutely righ...

The Minister mentions that coal is producing up to 25% of the electricity generated. Does he agre...

Coal has been an important part of the mix, and I hope the hon. Gentleman will be with us this af...

If a plant fits carbon capture and storage equipment, as a demonstration plant, could it be caugh...

There is an exemption under the Bill for a plant that fits CCS equipment. I have made that clear ...

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the transition we are trying to make in our economy, from wh...

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. When we are dealing with security of supply and keeping c...

It is a pleasure to take part in the debate this afternoon, which may be the long-awaited final p...

Given Labour’s long tradition of strong support of the coal industry, is the hon. Gentleman worri...

No, I do not accept that and I will go on to explain why during the remainder of my remarks.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the Carbon Tracker report that shows we need to leave four-fifths ...

I respect the hon. Lady’s opinions, but I disagree with her on that point. CCS provides us with t...

I like the hon. Gentleman’s point on CCS, but is he aware that Germany is building 11 GW of new, ...

I am grateful for that intervention. I anticipated that the hon. Gentleman would refer to this po...

We can both agree that Germany’s carbon emissions are one third higher per capita than in the UK....

I did not actually read the report over the hon. Gentleman’s shoulder; I looked at it beforehand ...

Everybody would agree that coal is not going away, but will be here into the future. We will be b...

I agree with my hon. Friend about the need for progress on CCS, which is why I have continued to ...

The hon. Gentleman categorised the three types of power station and pointed out correctly that hi...

That depends on the decisions made on the first and second groups. On the third group, so far the...

I rise to support the Minister in his disagreeing with Lords amendment 105. This country has alwa...

My hon. Friend obviously knows quite a lot about this subject. How much reserve capacity does he ...

The grid generally tries to keep a good level of capacity. There have been occasions recently whe...

That is very small.

It is small in capacity terms for the economy. Normally, that is when the grid starts getting a l...

The hon. Gentleman is making the case for ensuring spare capacity in the electricity grid. Would ...

It is important both that we have generating capacity, preferably domestically based, and that we...

I agree with much of what my hon. Friend says. Does he agree that one of the problems is that, un...

Clearly, policy has to have a proper balance. There is a role for renewables and trying to provid...

On my hon. Friend’s point about investment, we hear about the oft-quoted trilemma in energy polic...

Absolutely. At the end of the day, we must have the capacity to generate for what people want. We...

I am a little bemused by some of the talk that we are hearing this afternoon about the capacity c...

Does my hon. Friend believe that if the amendment is passed, investment in carbon capture and sto...

That is an important question. I think that if the amendment were passed and if it sent that “cer...

Is it not the case that carbon capture and storage technology can be applied to gas-fired as well...

Yes, indeed. If the Department is to reach its 2030 decarbonisation target, it is very likely tha...

Given the hon. Gentleman’s knowledge of the industry, can he tell us when he expects to see a dec...

The Saskatchewan power plant that I mentioned is not a new coal-fired power station, but an exist...

Should we not learn the lesson of the Longannet experience? In that instance, we discovered that ...

With a relatively small amount of underwriting—far less than is proposed in the UK Government’s c...

I am grateful to my Select Committee colleague for giving way to me. Does he recall that the oper...

Indeed. There is the question of what happens to the carbon dioxide subsequently and how it is in...

I am listening carefully to the hon. Gentleman’s argument about the acceleration of CCS as a cons...

Some of those plants could well be replaced by gas, and some could well close down. Indeed, some ...

The hon. Gentleman seems to have just repeated an assumption that the amendment would take effect...

The question is the extent to which plants can run, and what hours would be attached to them—a pr...

I refer hon. Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

Like most...

I welcome Lords amendment 105, as we need to close the Government’s loophole that would exempt ex...

I agree with my right hon. Friend the Minister that the House would be wise to reject amendment 1...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

I am afraid that I do not have time to do so, as the hon. Lady spoke for some time and the debate...

I, too, oppose the amendment. I will make three points: on cost; on security of supply; and on ho...

rose—

I will not take the intervention, as I want to finish as quickly as I can to allow time for the o...

It is a pleasure to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington South (David Mowat). I was ve...

Has my hon. Friend noticed that the big industrial powers that are serious about industry—Germany...

My right hon. Friend is correct. We have learned that the industry at Grangemouth, which the frie...

With the leave of the House, Madam Deputy Speaker, I shall reply briefly as I sense that the Hous...

rose—

The hon. Gentleman might also want to know that Coalpro, the Confederation of UK Coal Producers, ...

When does the Minister expect the first CCS generation plant to begin in the UK?

As I said, we hope to sign the first FEED contracts by the end of the year. They will involve a c...

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Earlier today the Chief Secretary to the Treasury made...

The hon. Lady has made her point and I am sure that those whom she wishes to have heard it have d...

I beg to move, That this House agrees with Lords amendment 1.

With this it will be convenient to discuss the following:

Lords amendments 2 to 75.

L...

As you have said, Madam Deputy Speaker, there are many amendments in this group and I will try to...

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for giving way on the issue of fuel poverty. My constit...

I think I understand that proposal, and I hope that the hon. Gentleman has welcomed the changes t...

I do welcome the fact that the difference of islands has been recognised, but I am disappointed t...

I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman is not wholly satisfied. I thought that the change would be we...

Does the Minister not accept that the whole thrust of the Bill, with its emphasis on decarbonisat...

No, I am afraid I do not agree with the hon. Gentleman, although I was grateful for his support i...

I, too, am pleased to welcome the Bill back to this House and grateful for the opportunity to spe...

Given that the hon. Gentleman has raised that point, I confirm that over a long period—many month...

I am grateful to the Minister for that undertaking.

rose—

No, I am afraid that I will not give way.

It is important that we have the opportunity to d...

I would like to speak in favour of the amendments tabled by the hon. Member for Derby North (Chri...

Does the hon. Lady really envisage individuals getting fuel bills showing profit and loss account...

I have much greater confidence in the wisdom of my constituents than sadly the hon. Gentleman app...

I rise to speak in support of amendments 87 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f). I thank my hon. Frie...

The hon. Gentleman is making a compelling case, and I appreciate the compassion with which he is ...

I think that the hon. Gentleman is getting his facts a little mangled. Fuel poverty diminished in...

I accept that I must apologise to the House for giving misleading figures. Fuel poverty increased...

No, I do not.

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

No. I will not take any more interventions, because I know that others want to speak in this impo...

Briefly?

No. Others wish to speak.

This issue will not go away; it will run and run. The fact that p...

I had not intended to say much, but the concerted attack on the Scottish Government by both Front...

I want to try to put this matter into context. In my constituency, 6,110 households are in fuel p...

I wish briefly to speak in support of the amendments to Lords amendment 87 tabled by my hon. Frie...

With the leave of the House, let me reply briefly to the points made in the debate. The hon. Memb...

I understand what the Minister is saying, but will he not accept that under the renewables obliga...

We have made our intention absolutely clear that the renewables obligation was going to be closed...

I think the Minister will find that the organisations to which he is referring took the view that...

The problem the hon. Gentleman has is that fuel poverty went up. It went up in the boom years whe...

With the leave of the House, we shall take amendments 2 to 86 together.

Object.

We will take amendments 2 to 53.

Lords amendments 2 to 53 agreed to.

The question is that the House agrees with the Lords in their amendment 54. As many as are of tha...

Aye.

As many as are of that opinion say No.

No.

The Ayes have it.

Lords amendment 54 agreed to.

Lords amendments 55 to 86 agreed to.<...

I have now to announce the results of the deferred Divisions. On the question relating to the dra...

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Further to the announcement you have just made, I think that hon...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, who has made his point with, if I may say so, great succinct...

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

I hope that it is a point of order and that it is comparably succinct.

Today’s Evening Standard reports that when Camp Bastion was attacked some 14 months ago, more tha...

No. I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order nevertheless.