here - United Kingdom Parliament

1661 Oral Answers
6 JUNE 2013
Oral Answers
1662
Michael Fallon: We are in touch with the Scottish
Government. I have ensured that an official from my
Department attends meetings of the taskforce set up
following the collapse of the Scottish company. We will
learn lessons from what has happened in Scotland, and
if the British Government can help, of course we will.
Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con):
Will my right hon. Friend explain what role he sees the
energy efficiency strategy playing in reducing demand
for energy?
Gregory Barker: My hon. Friend will know that
earlier this year the Prime Minister launched our first-ever
national energy efficiency mission. We are determined
always to pursue the cheapest option, including where
the cheapest option is saving energy rather than building
new plant, but we will do that in a way that is good for
consumers and gives us lower bills as well as cleaner
energy.
Several hon. Members rose—
Mr Speaker: Order. If we are to accommodate the
several remaining colleagues, very short answers will be
required.
Derek Twigg (Halton) (Lab): Will the Secretary of
State have another go at answering my earlier question?
He said he met the energy companies last month. Let
me put the question this way: when he met them, did he
raise any concerns about the level of profits they were
making, and, if so, what did they say?
Mr Davey: I do not think that profits were part of a
specific conversation. This issue is about the whole
market: how we ensure more competition and more
investment and how we protect consumers from rising
global prices by ensuring that they help us deal with
energy efficiency.
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con): In order to
save money and improve Government efficiency, would
the excellent Secretary of State agree to close his
Department and transfer its responsibilities to the
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills? He,
then, could become the Business Secretary, freeing up
the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and
Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince
Cable), to concentrate on his campaign to become the
next leader of the Liberal Democrats. It would be a win,
win situation for everyone.
Mr Davey: You will know, Mr Speaker, that the
Liberal Democrats always listen to the hon. Gentleman’s
advice, because it is always meant as a helpful contribution.
I can tell him, however, that my right hon. Friend the
Member for Sevenoaks (Michael Fallon) is a fantastic
Minister of State and does a brilliant job not only in my
Department, but in the Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills, so we are already very well connected.
Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab):
The Secretary of State told me earlier that he was
concerned about all Kingstons in this country. On that
basis, would he agree to meet me and a delegation from
Kingston upon Hull to discuss what more the coalition
Government can do to support Siemens coming to
Hull?
Mr Davey: Yes.
Duncan Hames (Chippenham) (LD): I welcome the
Minister’s support for biomass boilers, but the renewable
heat incentive was announced in October 2010. Why is
it not possible to open up the domestic scheme for
payment before spring 2014?
Gregory Barker: It has been much more challenging
than we anticipated, not least because when we entered
government we found that the previous Government
had done absolutely no work on this whatsoever. This is
the first renewable heat scheme of its type in the world,
and heat is much more difficult to quantify and value
than exporting electricity, but it is good news. We prioritised
industrial heat and are now moving on to domestic
heat, and I am looking forward to the scheme’s launch
this spring.
Julie Hilling (Bolton West) (Lab): The Minister claims
that the energy company obligation will help people in
fuel poverty, but is it not true that nearly 60% of the
funding will go to households that can already afford to
pay, not to those people in fuel poverty?
Gregory Barker: It is anticipated that more than
£500 million of the ECO funding will go directly to the
most vulnerable and those who need it most, but the
balance of the energy company obligation is intended
to support roll-outs street by street. It was the specific
nature of previous Government schemes under Labour
that made them so bureaucratic and ineffective. Our
view is that we ultimately need to focus on properties,
not just the individuals who live in them.
Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con):
The co-firing of biomass at power stations such as Drax
brings enormous opportunities to growers and farmers
in Thirsk and Malton, but will the Minister or Secretary
of State assure the House that unfair subsidies to imported
wood chip are not undermining our home-grown produce?
Mr Davey: The hon. Lady will know that our schemes
apply to all companies, wherever they are from. We
need to ensure that we invest in renewables such as
biomass, but in a way that meets our sustainability
criteria and creates a proper, fair market.