Caroline Lucas: Many hon. Members have talked about the need for more and more economic growth to get us out of the current economic crisis, yet there has been very little discussion of what kind of growth or of how to ensure that it is genuinely sustainable. It is clear that if we return to the kind of high-street credit boom that was instrumental in causing the crisis in the first place, it is unlikely to...
Caroline Lucas: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his comments.
Caroline Lucas: Absolutely. The green investment bank will be critical to the transition that we need, but it absolutely has to be a real bank, not just a fund in the Treasury with "bank" attached to it. It has to be a genuine bank that can lend money, raise money, raise bonds and so forth. Dropping the GDP target is not anti-jobs; it would allow us as a country to develop the measures and targets that...
Caroline Lucas: One of the most disturbing elements is the culture of secrecy that allowed body parts not only to be taken without permission but later to be disposed of as waste in the low-level waste depository at Drigg. Many living relatives will be deeply distressed to think of their loved ones being treated in such a callous way. Does the Secretary of State agree that that culture of secrecy still...
Caroline Lucas: If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
Caroline Lucas: As the Lib-Dem Treasury spokesman in the last Parliament, the Secretary of State strongly criticised the Labour Government's handling of the Lloyds TSB merger with HBOS, saying that the Lloyds shareholders had been sold a lemon. What does he say now to the 800,000 small Lloyds shareholders who have lost up to seven eighths of their investment, some of whom I have met in my constituency? What...
Caroline Lucas: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to debate deep-water oil drilling off the west of Shetland. This is a matter of great importance for the UK's short-term and long-term environmental and economic interests and of significant public interest and concern. This debate was prompted by the Government's recent decision to grant an exploration licence to Chevron to drill...
Caroline Lucas: When we look in more detail, a worrying picture emerges. The Health and Safety Executive's offshore oil and gas safety statistics bulletin gives a clearer picture. In the last financial year, 50 major injuries were reported, compared with an average of 42 major injuries over each of the previous five years, and 443 dangerous occurrences, including well incidents, were reported, including...
Caroline Lucas: I want to clarify two things. First, I want to make very clear my motive for securing this debate: it is indeed to try to secure a moratorium on any new oil licensing, including the Lagavulin prospect, until the result of the judicial review and until we find out what happened at Deepwater Horizon. The Minister is correct: over time, of course, I would like to see a transition away from...
Caroline Lucas: It is interesting to talk about the checks that went on. In fact, Deepwater Horizon had been checked just two weeks before the tragedy happened, so we can put to one side arguments about the regularity of the checks. The hon. Gentleman talked about doubling them, but I understand that that still means only going from two to four, so that is not going very far. The point is that we do not know...
Caroline Lucas: On safety, I want to come back to the quote from the Health and Safety Executive's offshore division, which says that it is "particularly disappointed, and concerned, that major and significant hydrocarbon releases are up by more than a third on last year" and calls on the industry to up its game. The HSE itself is expressing that concern. How is that consistent with the hon. Gentleman's...
Caroline Lucas: Will the Minister answer just two questions? First, why was it so urgent to grant the licence now, before we have understood what happened at Deepwater Horizon? We do not know why that happened, so could we not have waited a few more months to find out before going ahead? Secondly, I go back to the HSE's stating that "major and significant hydrocarbon releases are up by more than a third on...
Caroline Lucas: In fact, I was careful not to say that Norway had put in place a blanket moratorium. I said that it had allowed ongoing drilling under the 20th round of licences, but that it will not release any licences under the 21st round-the new round-until it has learned the lessons. Surely that is the kind of model that we should follow. I come back to my point that I do not understand how Ministers...
Caroline Lucas: Will the Minister give way?
Caroline Lucas: English language schools in my constituency contribute more than £100 million to the local economy, yet they face real difficulties because of the uncertainty surrounding the student visa system. Will the Secretary of State ensure that a cost-benefit analysis to the UK economy of overseas students who study at our schools is carried out? What words of reassurance can she give to bona fide...
Caroline Lucas: On a point of order, Mr Amess. Have you have received any indication from the Home Secretary that she might be coming to the House tonight to make a statement on whether she believes that police tactics outside the House are proportionate? Many hundreds of students and schoolchildren have been kettled for more than four hours and, according to the police, will be out there for several more...
Caroline Lucas: Climate finance will be critical at the ongoing climate summit at Cancun. Although I welcome the fact that the Government have pledged £2.9 billion to the global climate fund, will the Prime Minister confirm that any future money pledge will be additional to existing aid budgets, and can he say what further innovative funding mechanisms he plans to employ to deliver the UK's share of the...
Caroline Lucas: What steps his Department is taking to promote cycling as a means of transport.
Caroline Lucas: The axing of the highly cost-effective body, Cycling England, wiped out the arrangement whereby money was effectively channelled into school and workplace projects that are run by charities such as Sustrans and CTC. What is the Minister's plan B to ensure that cycling charities and campaigning groups, such as those in my constituency, can continue to work with schools and businesses to...
Caroline Lucas: That issue is very close to my heart. Does the hon. Lady agree that the Bill would lead to savings of nearly £180 million a year on household electricity bills? That would make a significant difference to fuel poverty, which affects so many of our constituents.
