Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Onshore Wind Turbines

Tuesday 14 October 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Mr Quigley asked for assurance that the Government is providing funding to support the growth of wind energy manufacturing capacity and the development of next-generation products in the UK.
  • Harriet Cross expressed concern about delays in publishing the outcome of the Government's consultation on the North Sea's energy future, which closed almost six months ago.
  • Mr Shanks confirmed that the Government is analysing responses to the North Sea energy future consultation and will publish them as soon as possible.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Richard Quigley Lab Isle of Wight West
Climate Energy
Context

The UK is committed to expanding its renewable energy capacity, and this requires significant investment in innovation. The Isle of Wight constituency has expertise in wind blade technology.

Question

Mr Quigley noted the importance of growing wind energy manufacturing capacity and developing next-generation products in the UK to create jobs and maintain sovereign ownership of blade technology. He asked for assurance that the Government is providing funding to support these efforts.

Answer from The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)

Mr Shanks acknowledged Vestas's importance in the UK’s wind supply chain and noted that the Isle of Wight is a centre for wind blade manufacturing and research. He assured Mr Quigley that the Government was working with partners across departments on proposals, including an agreement between Vestas and the Government to support factory repurposing for making onshore wind blades, which would save 300 jobs.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific funding amounts or commitments were not provided; instead, general assurances of partnership and job preservation were given.

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Q2 Harriet Cross Con Gordon and Buchan
Energy
Context

The Government's consultation on the future of energy in the North Sea closed in April, but the industry is awaiting a definitive response causing significant uncertainty for investment.

Question

Harriet Cross mentioned that certainty is essential for all types of energy companies to plan and invest. She expressed concern about delays in publishing the outcome of the Government's consultation on the North Sea’s energy future, which closed almost six months ago.

Answer from The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)

Mr Shanks confirmed that they are currently analysing responses to the North Sea energy future consultation and will publish them as soon as possible. He acknowledged the importance of certainty but defended his party's stance by criticizing the Opposition’s approach in Aberdeen.

Partly answered

Not addressed: A specific date or timeframe was not provided for publishing the consultation outcome; instead, vague assurances were given about timelines and industry engagement.

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