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4,729 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDHome Insulation: Health and Mortality RatesI have not had any discussions with the Department of Health on this. I am not sure of my ability to persuade it of anything, but I would have thought it relatively self-evident…19 Mar 2024HANSARDHome Insulation: Health and Mortality RatesNo, I do not accept that. There has not been a rota of schemes. The most successful scheme, the ECO scheme, has been going since the early part of the previous decade and we have…19 Mar 2024HANSARDGas-fired Power StationsI thank my noble friend for the question; I am very happy to do that. We are progressing a very advanced hydrogen strategy, which I will try to summarise in a few words. We let…14 Mar 2024HANSARDGas-fired Power StationsMy Lords, the essential misunderstanding of the energy system from the noble Baroness continues apace. The answer to the noble Baroness’s question is that we need both. We need…14 Mar 2024HANSARDGas-fired Power StationsI thank the noble Baroness and the noble Earl for their questions, especially the noble Baroness, although I am slightly perplexed. If she thinks that this announcement was…14 Mar 2024HANSARDGas-fired Power StationsThe noble Lord is right in that the number of larger generators on the system is falling, with the elimination later this year of coal generation —we will have phased it out…14 Mar 2024HANSARDGas-fired Power StationsI thank my noble friend for his question. He is, of course, absolutely right, and his extensive knowledge of the power and energy system, based on his previous career, is well…14 Mar 2024HANSARDBiomass: Power GenerationI do not know the truth or not of that; I will take the noble Lord’s word for it. As I said, these are complicated matters involving a number of different factors.13 Mar 2024HANSARDBiomass: Power GenerationI do not quite understand the point the noble Earl is making. There are many sustainable forests across Europe and North America, where, as he says, there are different degrees of…13 Mar 2024HANSARDBiomass: Power GenerationI do not agree with the noble Baroness—I often do not agree with her. This is not a business scam. It is actually bill payers’ money, not taxpayers’ money, but we spend it on a…13 Mar 2024HANSARDBiomass: Power GenerationThe noble Lord has asked me about this a number of times. As I have said to him, we are supportive of tidal power and are allocating funds to its development through the various…13 Mar 2024HANSARDBiomass: Power GenerationAs the noble Lord knows—we have been in correspondence on this—I do not agree with him. As I said, we are in discussions with the British Columbia authority. This is not a…13 Mar 2024HANSARDBiomass: Power GenerationMy noble friend makes a good point. It is not just Drax; there are many commercial and domestic biomass boilers as well that I am sure would be happy to use sustainable…13 Mar 2024HANSARDBiomass: Power GenerationThe noble Lord posed a number of different questions. First, as I said, sustainability criteria are extremely strict. They are policed by Ofgem. I have spoken to the chief…13 Mar 2024HANSARDBiomass: Power GenerationMy noble friend is right. It is a complicated subject and should not be the subject of easy sloganeering or campaigning. A number of different issues are involved. What the…13 Mar 2024HANSARDBiomass: Power GenerationOf course I agree absolutely with the statement made by my noble friend. As I said, I have spoken to Ofgem, which is investigating. It is its job to enforce against these…13 Mar 2024HANSARDBiomass: Power GenerationMy Lords, biomass plays a vital role in ensuring that the electricity system is both reliable and low-carbon by providing dispatchable power when intermittent renewables are not…13 Mar 2024HANSARDBiomass: Power GenerationI can agree with much of what the noble Baroness says but, like everything else, the situation is more complicated than that. There are many forests across the world—we are…13 Mar 2024HANSARDEnergy Bills Discount Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2024That the Grand Committee do consider the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2024. Relevant document: 15th Report from the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee12 Mar 2024HANSARDEnergy Bills Discount Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2024My Lords, these regulations were laid before the House on 7 February 2024. As we are all aware, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine led to an exceptional rise in energy prices.…12 Mar 2024