Julian calls on Government to deliver on manifesto commitments on wind power
January 19, 2016
Last night Julian held the Government to account on honouring its manifesto commitments on ending taxpayer funded subsidies to large wind farms, and giving local communities the final say in planning applications.
Speaking in the Energy Bill debate, Julian said “We need to end the current system whereby developers pocket the lucrative taxpayer-funded subsidies, and communities are stuck with turbines in their local neighbourhood and suffer the problems that accompany them. It is only right that local communities, not politicians in this Chamber, have the final say over whether planning permission for a new windfarm is granted… Only 18 months ago, the Labour-run council in York was proposing to encircle our great cathedral city with up to 40 wind turbines. Thankfully, the Labour council that instigated this insane project lost office in last year’s local elections. That was only to be expected, given that the common-sense wishes of local residents were completely ignored.”
“Any visitor to the picturesque countryside across north Yorkshire and the neighbouring east riding can appreciate that the area has taken more than its fair share of wind farms. The cruel irony is that ultimately they are being funded, at least in part, by the very local communities that are so deeply opposed to them. As such, I am delighted that the Secretary of State has grasped the nettle and pushed for the early closure of the renewables obligation scheme, an endeavour in which she has the full support of the overwhelming majority of my constituents.”
However, Julian went on to warn that “Any Government who pay lip service to our future energy security are playing Russian roulette with our country’s future. We need a balanced energy mix to deliver that security. Without action, funds for otherwise uneconomic wind turbines are sadly draining resources away from other, less-intrusive forms of renewable energy that could play a key role in our future energy security.”
Julian stressed the need to continue to invest in alternative forms of renewable energy, including offshore wind and tidal energy, in order to meet our international commitments to decarbonise the economy. Julian is also a member of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee and will be interviewing leading individuals from the Carbon Capture and Storage industry tomorrow.
To read the speech in full, please click the link below.
