Energy Security and Net Zero – in the House of Commons at on 24 March 2026.
Mary Glindon
Labour, Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend
What discussions he has had with private sector representatives on securing investment in clean energy industries.
Chris McDonald
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero), Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
After a lot of hullabaloo about the oil and gas industry, we now get to turn to the areas where we are doubling down—namely, on our vast natural resource in clean energy industries and offshore wind, where we managed to attract £90 billion-worth of private sector investment in 2024, in collaboration with the sector councils. Whereas the Conservative Government were happy for those associated jobs to be in Denmark and the Netherlands, we are reindustrialising Blyth, the Tyne and the Tees.
Mary Glindon
Labour, Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend
Allocation round 7 was a resounding vote of confidence from developers, and our supply chains will welcome that. At a roundtable I hosted last year, the Secretary of State set out the innovative principles behind the clean industry bonus. However, competing against lower-cost regions, such as the middle east, remains a pressing concern for fabricators in the future. Will the Minister ensure that the CIB is as robust and creative as possible so that developers buy from British yards?
Chris McDonald
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero), Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My hon. Friend is right that the allocation round was incredibly successful. Of course, the Conservatives wanted to cancel it, given their Opposition to clean industry jobs across the UK. In the north-east, where my hon. Friend is from, we are forecasting an increase of 20,000 jobs. I know that the Smulders yard in her Constituency will seek to benefit from that because, as the Chancellor of the exchequer said, it matters to this Government where things are made. We want those supply chain jobs here in the UK—jobs the Reform party would take away from constituents like hers and mine, with its anti-net zero ideology.
Graham Stuart
Conservative, Beverley and Holderness
The Minister will be aware that major hydrogen projects in the Humber area, including those led by National Gas, are ready to go. They are vital to our region, which has £18 billion of value-add and 360,000 jobs, but without certainty from Government, investors cannot commit. When will the Government open the allocation rounds for the hydrogen transport and storage business models so that this investment can actually move forward?
Chris McDonald
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero), Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I appreciate the right hon. Member’s concerns, having spoken to the hydrogen industry myself, and the representation he has made to me and to the Energy Minister on this issue. I can assure him that the hydrogen strategy will be out soon.
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