Results 1-20 of 23 for climate change speaker:Robert Smith

[Sir Nicholas Winterton in the Chair] — Oil and Gas (29 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: .... The jobs that we speak of affect the whole of the UK. I pay tribute to the history of the industry, and its contribution to our security of supply and balance of payments. It has benefited our climate change agenda. This country met its Kyoto commitments because of the lower carbon outputs from gas generation, and could well meet its future climate change commitments if, as has been...

[Sir Nicholas Winterton in the Chair] — Oil and Gas (29 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: ..., because of what has happened in the North sea. Departments have been restructured, and energy has moved from DTI to DBERR and BIS, and now to DECC. DECC obviously focuses on the environment and climate change, but will the Minister reassure me that it still has just as vibrant a role as spokesman for the industry as a major employer and exporter? I welcome the Committee's report and the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Oil and Gas Fields (14 Oct 2009) has video

Robert Smith: What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the effects of investment in offshore oil and gas fields on levels of employment in Scotland.

[David Taylor in the Chair] — North Sea Oil and Gas Industry (13 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: ...North sea, or are relatives of friends of people who work there, and who want to see as safe an environment as possible. The hon. Gentleman touched on the history of Piper Alpha. There was a sea change in the cultural approach, moving towards the case for safety, rather than the box-ticking approach. Looking at the comparisons with Norway, there is a concern that the Norwegian system is...

[David Taylor in the Chair] — North Sea Oil and Gas Industry (13 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: The hon. Gentleman makes a very important point about the other future for the North sea and the important role that carbon capture will play in tackling our immediate problems of climate change. Again, that will require safety assessments and an effective safety regime. The crucial message is that we as a country have benefited enormously from what has happened in the North sea. The work has...

Bills Presented: Summer Recess Adjournment (21 Jul 2009)

Robert Smith: ...many Members wish to speak and it would be unfair of me not to take time into account. I therefore want to concentrate on a key constituency issue by highlighting the first report of the Energy and Climate Change Committee, which, appropriately, was on the UK offshore oil and gas industry. I must at this point declare an interest that appears in the Register of Members' Interests: I have a...

Business of the House: Easter Adjournment (2 Apr 2009) has video

Robert Smith: ...less oil and gas, but that will not affect the level of consumption; it will merely mean that we import more. The carbon leakage regulations provide a strong case for the Department of Energy and Climate Change to make to the European Union. It should say that we need to take advantage of the rules of the EU system, and that because of the carbon leakage, the North sea needs to be...

Written Answers — Energy and Climate Change: Fossil Fuels: North Sea (11 Mar 2009)

Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 5 March 2009, Official Report, columns 980-81, what discussions he has had with industry representatives on the effect of phase 3 of the European Emission Trading Scheme on the attractiveness of the UK continental shelf to global oil and gas investors. [R]

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Businesses (Financial Support) (14 Jan 2009) has video

Robert Smith: ...can do to monitor what is going on and ensure that the scheme delivers extra money will be welcome. Specifically for the north-east of Scotland, will he work with the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Treasury to see what else can be done for the North sea, where large investors have relied on the credit market? The Government's policy is to bring in new entrants who have to...

Orders of the Day: Clause 15 — Rates of vehicle excise duty (29 Apr 2008) has video

Robert Smith: My constituency has two of Scotland's ski resorts, and I want to emphasise how important they are when it comes to bringing in money at different times of the year. The changing climate has added extra burdens on those who try to run the resorts, and they do not need the Government to add any extra costs at a time when they are worried about making decisions on serious investment priorities.

Oral Answers to Questions — Health: Christmas Adjournment (18 Dec 2007)

Robert Smith: ...the Government with their data, the Post Office card account is a safer choice, because there is no risk of any fraud being perpetrated. The Government keep talking about how natural forces and a change in the market are driving the situation with the Post Office. One of the biggest customers, the Department for Work and Pensions, forcibly drove through far too fast the change in how...

Opposition Day — [13th Allotted Day]: Department of Trade and Industry (6 Jun 2007)

Robert Smith: ...and their work with PILOT on the regulatory side of the industry. However, the weakness of the DTI as a voice in Government is exemplified by the corporation tax issue. The Government introduced a change in the tax regime during a tax year without warning when they introduced the supplemental tax in the North sea. People in north-east Scotland felt that the DTI, for all its work with the...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (2 Feb 2006)

Robert Smith: ...the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the proposed closure of the Banchory station of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology on climate change research.

Written Answers — Scotland: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (24 Jan 2006)

Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed closure of the Banchory station of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology on climate change research in Scotland.

Security of Supply (12 Jan 2006)

Robert Smith: ...effective way of ensuring more efficient use of fuel while ensuring that people who live in communities where road transport is the only available form of transport are not penalised. Replacing the climate change levy with a carbon tax will focus the economic signals on the importance of saving and conserving energy. Our debate has touched on the important benefits that can be derived from...

Energy Review and Coal (11 Jan 2006)

Robert Smith: ..., so the potential is there. As has been outlined, however, the environmental impact of coal still holds it back from playing its part as an energy source in this country. I think in particular of climate change. We understand more how our world is affected by the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and how we must meet the challenge of reducing our emissions, not only at home...

Future Energy Needs (Scotland) (1 Dec 2005)

Robert Smith: ...sooner than expected, is about past levels of investment in exploration and production. What may have happened is that the Chancellor frightened off investors three years ago with a surprise tax change. It is extremely important, in managing the tax system of an industry that makes such a contribution—in tax revenue, as the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North outlined, in supply of gas,...

Oil and Gas Supplies (12 Oct 2005)

Robert Smith: ...have a view on what was wrong in the signals to the market that led to investors not getting into the process early enough to get over the planning hurdles? Should the planning hurdles be changed so that investors can get the storage in place? If we had more storage in place in the run-up to this winter, the market would not be so worried about the potential peaks of a downside—of a...

Debate on the Address — [First Day] (26 Nov 2003)

Sir Robert Smith: ...treaty for the European Union and to legislation to implement the treaty. I hope that the Government will finally wake up to the fact that, if the treaty still contains constitutional changes, its implementation should involve the British public in a referendum. That would have several benefits. It would enable us to have a debate in the country about our relationship with Europe. It would...

Orders of the Day — Finance Bill — [1st Allotted Day]: New Clause 1 — Supplementary charge in respect of ring fence trades: financing costs (3 Jul 2002)

Sir Robert Smith: ...managers whose job it is to manage an asset in the North sea are the ones who have been betrayed. They have been telling their bosses in France or America that they are a good bet, they have a good climate, a taskforce and PILOT. They have been saying that they have engaged with each other, that a logical way of working has been established, that they have tried to get the industry to work...