Contributions
1,496 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fifth sitting)I beg to move amendment 14, in clause 17, page 14, line 31, leave out “may” and insert “must”. Although I have set out some of the shared under- standings that I think necessary…23 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)Let me say two things. First, if someone contributes in a penny fund to a co-operative society account of some description, that does not mean that they are not an investor; it…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)It is at the conclusion of the construction stage because the construction stage gives way to a production stage. That is the point at which electricity is produced, when the…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)We do not intend to press the amendment to a vote, but I will say that we think it is a good idea, which adds to the Bill’s transparency. The Minister has given examples where…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)I beg to move amendment 5, in clause 4, page 3, line 24, leave out “5” and insert “4”. This amendment shortens the maximum time allowed by the Secretary of State for the…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)Hon. Members have such Pavlovian responses these days, automatically running out of the door whatever the circumstances. The expiry date of a designation could well arrive because…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)The amendments are grouped because one follows directly from the other—amendment 6 is consequential on amendment 5. The previous debate about the designation process was helpful…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)I beg to move amendment 8, in clause 6, page 5, line 3, at end insert— “(2A) Prior to exercising the power under subsection (1), the Secretary of State must publish a statement…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)As the Minister has said, the amendment was essentially a probing amendment to seek a little more clarification on why five years is considered to be the appropriate time. I am…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)I do not want to be accused of trying to be too helpful to the Minister but, as I understand it, this part is about the designation of an existing nuclear company for the…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)I am certainly happy to withdraw the amendment, but in passing I mention that the Minister has drawn attention to the word “must” in clause 3(2), which precedes the people who the…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)Yes, that might have been a good idea, but unfortunately it is not on the amendment paper this afternoon. My amendment is, so I hope the Minister will consider ensuring that…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Third sitting)Thank you, Ms Fovargue. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. I want to say two things before we go into detailed line-by-line discussion: one is on the order in…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)Indeed. The hon. Member has drafted her own, perhaps more succinct, amendment on the fly. I would welcome hon. Members tabling amendments if they feel that they can do it better,…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)I beg to move amendment 4, in clause 3, page 2, line 37, at end insert— “(5) Prior to consulting persons under subsection (3)(g), the Secretary of State must publish a statement…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)I hear what the Minister says about the amendment, but I am not entirely convinced that he has made the case that he thinks he has made as to why this addition is not necessary…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Third sitting)Continuing briefly from my initial remarks, I want to make it clear that the amendments—and all our other amendments—are based on the idea that the Bill should be strengthened,…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)I think we perhaps have a slight divergence of opinion here. We were seeking to simplify and create an imperative for publication by reducing the qualifications on that…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Third sitting)Does that mean that the evidence that was given to us in our session with Sizewell C was not correct, or was ill-informed? Or was it informed, but matters have moved on since…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNuclear Energy (Financing) Bill (Fourth sitting)My concern in this clause is that the phrase “as soon as reasonably practicable” gives the opportunity for almost limitless delay to publication. If the Secretary of State must…18 Nov 2021