Industrial Carbon Emissions (Targets) Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:43 pm on 3 July 2009.

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Photo of David Kidney David Kidney Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Energy and Climate Change 12:43, 3 July 2009

I congratulate Mr. Kennedy, who presented the case for the Bill, on his choice of subject. It is one of the major issues of the day, and he has his finger on the pulse in bringing it before us. I always thought that he led his party with great skill and great good humour, and he brought those qualities to bear in leading this debate, which he did adroitly and persuasively.

I know that in the previous debate some hon. Members were a touch impatient to hear my full arguments, so I shall give them a synopsis of what I am going to say. The Government's position is that in our general policy direction, we are where every Member who has spoken has urged us to be. We have already commenced a consultation on the best way to get a detailed policy so that we can travel forward. Unlike Gregory Barker, I believe that consultation is a very good thing and an important component of getting policy right. In that context, the Bill is premature in the solution that it proposes. The solution will look something like the Bill, but we will know better how precisely it will look when we have concluded the consultation.