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Energy White Paper

14 December 2020

Lead MP

Alok Sharma

Debate Type

Ministerial Statement

Tags

ClimateEnergyParliamentary Procedure
Other Contributors: 40

At a Glance

Alok Sharma raised concerns about energy white paper in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

How the Debate Unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:

Government Statement

ClimateEnergyParliamentary Procedure
Government Statement
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, today we have published a White Paper on energy that outlines immediate steps to achieve climate ambitions and deliver the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan. The document aims to create jobs, protect vulnerable households from increased bills during the transition to net zero emissions by providing £6.7 billion of support over six years for low-income families, including extending the warm home discount scheme to cover an additional 750,000 households and implementing a green homes grant scheme that could save lower-income households up to £600 annually on their energy bills. The White Paper also introduces measures like automatic switching options and competition in building and operating onshore networks to drive down costs for consumers. It sets out commitments for 40 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, aiming to support around 60,000 jobs; a target for 5 GW of hydrogen production by 2030, which could unlock £4 billion in investment and create up to 8,000 jobs; and supporting the deployment of carbon capture, usage, and storage technology. Additionally, it reaffirms plans for new nuclear capacity and explores options like regulated asset base funding models and a UK emissions trading scheme.

Shadow Comment

Ed Miliband
Shadow Comment
While acknowledging the Secretary of State's commitment to combating climate change, Ed Miliband criticised the White Paper’s lack of ambition. He questioned why there was no mention of zero-emission electricity by 2035 and expressed concern over the limited emphasis on onshore wind, tidal power, and solar energy in the document. He also raised concerns about nuclear financing methods and UK's falling behind other countries in hydrogen technology investment. Miliband further highlighted that despite advocating for a green recovery, the government is not investing enough to meet targets such as 60% domestic manufacture of offshore wind turbines, leading to insufficient port infrastructure investments. Additionally, he pointed out the absence of a plan for workers transitioning from fossil fuel industries to renewable sectors and criticised the White Paper’s inadequate measures on home insulation and conversion to zero-carbon heating systems.
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