Results 1-20 of 20 for climate change speaker:Greg Hands

Economic Recovery: Public Accounts (22 Oct 2009) has video

Greg Hands: ...though he and I might disagree on the precise size of the cake. My hon. Friend the Member for South Norfolk (Mr. Bacon) spoke with his customary forensic skills and fluency and outlined important changes—I will have to read his comments carefully—as to how the NAO will effect better financial controls in Government Departments, which sound like they are welcome. He also said...

Care Homes (Domestic Pets): Clause 17 — Rates of air passenger duty (8 Jul 2009)

Greg Hands: ...the industry to fill their planes instead of flying half-empty jet liners around the world...Once again the aviation industry has been given a free pass at a time when its contribution to climate change is rising." Nobody was satisfied with the Government's climbdown. Why have the Government rejected the per-plane tax? To return to the Exchequer Secretary before last, the hon. Member for...

Care Homes (Domestic Pets): Clause 17 — Rates of air passenger duty (8 Jul 2009)

Greg Hands: ...last year. The Finance Act 2008 provided for certain powers to proceed in that direction. This time a year ago, Ministers again committed to a per-plane tax, with only the final details open to change—yet six months later, the change was total. The Government's U-turn was set out in a document entitled "Aviation duty: response to consultation", which was published with the pre-Budget...

Public Bill Committee: Finance Bill: New Clause 8 (25 Jun 2009)

Greg Hands: ...perhaps it is—that might be reasonable. However, we should not underestimate the bureaucracy involved. At the same time, there would be an obligation for people to write to HMRC to detail any change in what they perceive as their residence. That might also be reasonable, but I fear that we would be adding a great deal of bureaucracy without knowing the size of the nut that we are...

Public Bill Committee: Finance Bill: Clause 117 (25 Jun 2009)

Greg Hands: ...meet their CCA targets because they will incur a financial cost if they fail to do so. However, she did not mention that it will introduce a further level of complexity to the administration of the climate change levy. Businesses will have to consider the potential implications of this measure when they negotiate their climate change agreements and energy consumption targets. Will the...

Public Bill Committee: Finance Bill: Clause 118 (25 Jun 2009)

Greg Hands: The clause deals with a fairly localised issue relating to landfill tax. It will introduce changes to landfill tax legislation from 1 September 2009. The changes originated from the Court of Appeal’s judgment in the Waste Recycling Group Ltd case of 2008, commonly known in the industry as the WRG case. The case related to certain materials that would otherwise have gone to landfill being...

Public Bill Committee: Finance Bill: Clause 116 (25 Jun 2009)

Greg Hands: I must say that I am a little surprised that the Minister has not risen to introduce clause 116, which, like clause 117, is on the climate change levy. However, I will try to explain what clause 116 is all about. I will briefly explain the climate change levy, because when we come to discuss exactly what has been changed we must understand the context for that change. Normally the Government...

Public Bill Committee: Finance Bill: Clause 116 (25 Jun 2009)

Greg Hands: ...that she will be talking about the clause, but I was under the impression that, when we are debating a clause, normally a Minister would first seek to defend what the Government are proposing. The climate change levy, as we know, is a tax based on the quantity of a commodity supplied. The levy is charged on taxable supplies, which are supplies of what is called a “taxable...

Public Bill Committee: Finance Bill: Clause 89 (18 Jun 2009)

Greg Hands: This clause probably contains the most important changes to the North sea oil and gas regime in part 6 of the Bill, and I expect that we will want to press amendment 267 in due course. Clause 89 refers to schedule 44. The other clauses and schedules that we have discussed so far either represent relatively small changes or seek to create conditions in which it is easier for new investment to...

Public Bill Committee: Finance Bill: Clause 83 (18 Jun 2009)

Greg Hands: ...to answer on these clauses. These are important clauses on North sea oil, and it seems that that important area has been badly served by the Government, particularly in recent weeks with the rapid change in Exchequer Secretaries. Such a major part of our economy deserves better treatment. Clause 83 is the first of eight clauses relating to North sea oil, each of which gives 83 relates to...

Public Bill Committee: Finance Bill: Clause 17 (2 Jun 2009)

Greg Hands: ...The response claimed that the U-turn was: “Consistent with the Government’s objectives to provide additional support to businesses and individuals in the short-term and maintain action on climate change”. However, it was not consistent with their previous environmental analysis. One might infer from the talk of supporting business that the U-turn was welcome to the...

Public Bill Committee: Finance Bill: Clause 17 (2 Jun 2009)

Greg Hands: ...of some of our regional airports. If, as the Government say, the industry welcomes their proposals, the industry has done an excellent job in suppressing its enthusiasm for the huge tax rises. The changes will also have a negative impact on Britain’s competitiveness as a tourist destination if passengers are forced to pay APD on their return journey. I would appreciate clarification...

Written Answers — Energy and Climate Change: Departmental Reorganisation (19 Nov 2008)

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library copies of the letters of appointment from the Prime Minister to (a) him and (b) Ministers in his Department.

Written Answers — Prime Minister: Government Departments: Appointments (27 Oct 2008)

Greg Hands: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library copies of replies to his letters of appointment to (a) the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and (b) Ministers in that Department.

Orders of the Day: European Affairs (18 Jun 2008) has video

Greg Hands: ...when presenting his "Global Europe" document. He said that "the priority for the European Union must now be the global challenges that we face in relation to employment, prosperity, competitiveness, climate change and security."—[ Official Report, 22 October 2007; Vol. 465, c. 19.] Occasionally, we hear Liberal Democrat spokesmen, assuming that anybody can find out what Liberal...

Strategic Framework (FCO) (20 May 2008)

Greg Hands: ...Office reviews its overall strategic direction, priorities and so on from time to time. I strongly applaud various aspects of the framework, including counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, climate change and conflict zones such as Afghanistan. To digress slightly, the Foreign Office has done particularly well on counter-terrorism in the past six years—in many ways, it sets global...

Orders of the Day: Foreign Affairs and Defence (12 Nov 2007)

Greg Hands: ...intergovernmental conference, which must then be ratified in each member state, by Parliament or by referendum. However, article 33(2) of the new treaty allows the Council to vote by unanimity to change any of the text of part 3 of the treaty on the functioning of the Union, which is basically all the detail of the treaties. I could talk about the vetoes that have been abolished and the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Leader of the House: European Council (12 Mar 2007)

Greg Hands: ..., José Manuel Barroso, told Der Spiegel on Friday that the EU has no formal competency on energy policies, which it would have only after the passing of the EU constitution. On getting action on climate change, he said: "With the constitution, it would be much easier". Does the Prime Minister agree that he needs to send a message to Mr. Barroso that we do not need to wait for...

Written Answers — Deputy Prime Minister: China (5 Jun 2006)

Greg Hands: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what work the China Task Force has undertaken to combat climate change.

Written Answers — Deputy Prime Minister: China (2 Jun 2006)

Greg Hands: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what work the China Task Force has undertaken to combat climate change.