Net Zero Strategy and Heat and Buildings Strategy

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Can the Minister explain where the long-term retrofit plan for homes below EPC band C is? Why does his plan on heat pumps fall so far short of what's required?

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What is the Minister's view regarding the need for a 10-year, house-by-house retrofit programme to reduce emissions and cut bills? Will his Department press the Treasury for funding?

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Is there any prospect of a grant scheme for farmers so that they can invest in renewable energy, such as solar or wind power, to improve their profitability?

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How will the Government ensure there is a sustainable supply of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and that it provides an incentive for people who are currently in diesel vehicles to switch?

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What steps will the Government take to prevent excessive carbon leakage if we have a net zero transition that is faster than our European neighbours?

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The shadow spokesperson thanked the Minister for his statement but expressed deep concern about the strategy. He highlighted that emissions from buildings are higher than they were in 2015 and criticised the lack of a long-term retrofit plan, questioning whether BEIS argued with the Treasury for such a programme and got turned down. Miliband also queried the low number of heat pumps funded by the Government compared to what is needed to meet targets and raised concerns about the accessibility of electric cars due to high costs.

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Asked about the need to generate sufficient electricity from green sources for electric cars and heat pumps to function effectively, particularly during periods without wind or sun.

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The key point in the announcement today is that Peterhead has been betrayed, classing the Scottish cluster as a reserve. Can the Minister confirm this is a political decision rather than technical? What representations has he had from the Scottish Secretary of State about what is happening to Peterhead?

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Levelling up means ensuring all parts of the country, including rural areas, can decarbonise their heat at an affordable price. What is the solution for off-grid properties?

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Will the promises made today be delivered differently from failed schemes of the past, such as the green homes grant?

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Does the Minister agree that the Government’s support for the HyNet cluster will put north-west England at the cutting edge of hydrogen technology and secure thousands of jobs?

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There are two problems with the Government’s net zero strategy: it is not truly 'zero' as some sectors will still emit; and it relies on science fiction negative emissions technologies.

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Following the success of offshore wind deployment, must we ensure industrial capability in carbon capture and hydrogen so that we can be an export superpower?

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The steel industry's transition requires £6 billion investment, yet the clean steel fund provides only 4%. Is that enough?

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Will my right hon. Friend reassure constituents that they will benefit from 440,000 net zero jobs being created by 2030 and £90 billion of private investment? Will he accept an invitation to visit Wylfa Newydd?

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The Minister talks of crumbs for Scotland, the renewable energy capital of Europe, and questions why UK Government levies connection charges uniquely to Scotland.

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Welcomes Government commitment to decarbonise industrial clusters by 2050 and asks if Government support is vital for ceramics industry.

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Asks for repeated reports on figures and questions about people’s behaviour in greening homes.

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Questions the cost-effectiveness of heat pumps dependent on electricity costs and suggests a comprehensive audit.

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Welcomes end date for gas boilers but questions the end date for fossil fuel use in electricity production.

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Questions the assessment made on regulating embodied carbon in construction.

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Questions the plan for transitioning homes with gas boilers to zero-carbon future.

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Asks about the substantial future for gas in UK energy supply.

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Welcomed the Minister's announcement on Tees and Humber being chosen for CCUS and hydrogen production, but expressed concern over previous false starts in funding. Asked how the government will ensure that workers get jobs and skills needed to develop new industries.

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Welcomed the strategy but raised concerns over the upfront costs for installing heating units in fuel-poor homes, including insulation and radiator size requirements.

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Questioned the government's decision regarding CCUS, suggesting it prioritised northern England over other regions. Asked how a just transition can be claimed when pork barrel politics is involved.

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Welcomed the Minister's visit to Aberdeen and raised concerns over the Scottish cluster’s expenditure. Asked for further meetings to discuss the Government’s plans to help the Scottish cluster.

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Asked if the government would extend ambition by linking adequate insulation funding with heat pump funding, ensuring that more people than just the well-off can afford changes.

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Asked if the home upgrade scheme would help his rural constituents with poorly insulated homes.

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Welcomed the announcement on east coast cluster despite shortcomings. Asked if trade unions would be heard to ensure economic opportunities for working people.

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Asked about the government's approach to uncertainty and affordability in achieving net-zero targets.

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Questions the adequacy of £450 million for heat pumps, noting it only benefits 0.3% of Welsh households while decarbonising Wales's housing stock costs £14.75 billion. Asks how confident the Minister is that Treasury funding will increase.

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Inquires about ensuring Stoke-on-Trent's ceramics sector gets a fair share of the additional R&D funding committed by the Government.

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Asks about retrofit skills strategy missing from the plan, inquires how York's workforce will be trained given a backlog of more than 6,000 maintenance jobs.

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Critiques the slow pace of the Government in moving forward with a zero-emission vehicle mandate, scheduled for 2024.

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Questions why local government's role is not mentioned in the Minister’s announcement despite Lord Deben's indication of its importance.

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Asks about measures in the strategy to make electric vehicle purchases more affordable for average consumers.

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Challenges the Minister’s claim of working collaboratively and questions whether only well-off will benefit from heat pumps.

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Asks for a guarantee that taxpayer money will be used to invest in heat pumps made in Britain.

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Asks about partnership with local government for decarbonisation efforts.

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Proposes a carbon border tax to support UK manufacturing and steel jobs on an even playing field.

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I thank the Minister for his announcement and his clear commitment to all regions of the United Kingdom, particularly to Northern Ireland. I welcome the strategy and the decision to end the sale of gas boilers by 2035. What incentives can the Minister offer to builders currently developing to make those changes to new builds now, not to wait until 2034 to change that skills base and ability? Is upskilling part of the Government’s agenda?

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In 2015, the UK Government pulled the plug on £1 billion of carbon capture and storage investment in Peterhead. Today, they have repeated that same mistake—a betrayal of the north-east of Scotland—by pulling the rug out from underneath the Acorn Project. The Minister knows that Scotland cannot meet its net zero ambitions without carbon capture and underground storage, so why is he shafting Scotland?