Net Zero Emissions by 2050

Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy – in the House of Commons at on 16 November 2021.

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Photo of Gordon Henderson Gordon Henderson Conservative, Sittingbourne and Sheppey

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the cost of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

Photo of Lee Rowley Lee Rowley Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of driving down the cost of transition to tread more lightly on the Earth over the long term. Significant progress has already been made in the cost of technologies such as solar panels, and the recently published net zero strategy commits to working with business to realise further economic opportunities.

Photo of Gordon Henderson Gordon Henderson Conservative, Sittingbourne and Sheppey

While I welcome that answer, does the Minister agree that achieving net zero emissions will depend on individual householders? Many people in my Constituency are finding it difficult to afford their fuel Bills, even without the cost involved in installing new heating systems such as heat pumps. What can the Government do to help those people?

Photo of Lee Rowley Lee Rowley Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

My hon. Friend is right that we must work with householders and businesses on a longer-term basis so that we can deliver the net zero ambitions we set ourselves by 2050. As the Minister for Business, Energy and Corporate Responsibility has highlighted a number of times, we are trying to drive down the cost of technology over the long term. A number of firms have come forward on some of the technologies we hope to use, such as heat pumps, and have indicated it should be possible to do that.

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