James Duddridge MP: Energy Bill

JAMES DUDDRIDGE MP

HOUSE OF COMMONS
LONDON SW1A 0AA

Mr Denis Walker
Southend-on-Sea
Essex

24 February 2010

Dear Mr Walker
Thank you for contacting me recently with your views about the Energy Bill. Many of you have also contacted me recently about the inclusion of an Emissions Performance Standard and New Clause 6.
I wanted to get in touch with you today to express how I very much share your view that climate change is one of the greatest threats we face and reducing UK carbon emissions is an important contribution to reducing the global risk of climate change. I also wanted to let you know that I fully agree with your assertion that it is important to include an Emissions Performance Standard in the Energy Bill. We have advocated introducing an Emissions Performance Standard for a long time and, despite efforts to get it included in both the previous Energy Act 2008 and the Climate Change Act 2008, failed due to a lack of Government support.
Whilst the Government has dithered over its approach to Carbon Capture and Storage, this Party has long supported your view that any new coal fired power stations must be fitted with Carbon Capture and Storage technology from day one and we will also restrict the emissions produced from power stations using an Emissions Performance Standard. We envisage taking the most highly polluting, high carbon producing fuel of all and transforming it into a low carbon fuel of the future.
Britain is blessed with large coal reserves, so there could be big benefits from our economy in cleaning up coal power. An incoming Conservative Government would contribute towards the creation of a national Carbon Capture and Storage infrastructure, allowing energy companies to plug into these new power stations, making the UK a world leader in this technology.
Clean coal represents an element of our approach which rests on diversified energy supply made up of a wide variety of low-carbon technologies including large scale renewables and domestic micro-generation. This way we aim to re-build the British economy on the back of new, high-tech green industries, intelligent energy generation and transport, and energy efficiency in our homes, schools and businesses.
Since many of you contacted me a new Emissions Performance Standard amendment has since been tabled, New Clause 15, which has gained cross party support, this has resulted in the withdrawal of New Clause 5. We are pleased to have achieved consensus on this and I will of course be lending my support to New Clause 15.
Yours sincerely
James Duddridge MP

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