Ed Davey's 30-Dec Commons speech on new EU treaty
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MJ
4 Jan 2021
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Watch - Jas Parmar Hails Frontline Key Workers and Local Community Spirit
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4 Jan 2021
Future EU relations | Chan 4 News explainer (4:54)
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4 Jan 2021
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Primary school update
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4 Jan 2021
Emails sent to Surrey County Council and Ed Davey on January School re-opening
Email from Councillor Chris Bateson to Julie Iles OBE, Surrey County Council, Cabinet Member for All-Age Learning Date: 3 January 2020 Subject: Surrey Schools return Good afternoon I am writing in a similar vein to my fellow councillor Tom Fidler from Sunbury, concerning the imminent return to school of schoolchildren tomorrow. Whilst the situation is of immense concern in Sunbury, similar circumstances prevail here in Ashford and Staines. The infection rate here in Spelthorne is higher than the neighbouring London Boroughs of Hounslow and Richmond. However as things stand their schools will not return for another two weeks, whilst ours here in Spelthorne do so tomorrow. I have been contacted by at least one Headmistress, who is deeply concerned that by her school opening it will contribute to the spread of the virus. She is deeply concerned both for her pupils and her staff. We all collectively need to support our schools at this very difficult time given the intense pressure they are under. I believ
4 Jan 2021
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, called on the government to provide incentives for energy providers to develop solar power in the UK.
Mrs Hobhouse slammed the government for falling behind on meeting the UK’s renewable targets for solar energy capacity. The government plans to deploy 70 GW of solar power across the country by 2035. However, as of 2022, the UK had only installed 14.3 GW of solar pv.
Following a visit to a rooftop solar system installed by Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) at Beechen Cliff School last year, Wera Hobhouse is keen to encourage the development of similar solar projects across Bath. The solar system is predicted to significantly cut the school’s fuel costs and reduce their carbon emissions by 52 tonnes a year.
In the House of Commons on the 27th February, the Bath MP noted that the UK is lagging behind the rest of the world in renewable energy investment, she urged the government to offer incentives to energy providers to improve solar capacity.
However, Andrew Bowie, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero, ignored Hobhouse’s proposals, failing to describe the ways in which the government could incentivise solar energy. Instead, Bowie said that the government’s Solar Taskforce would publish recommendations for solar power and reiterated the government’s target to deploy 70 GW by 2035.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, commented:
“The Conservatives are falling dangerously behind on meeting our targets for renewable energy production. It is no good the government setting an ambitious 70 GW solar target if they are nowhere near reaching it.
“It is clear that they have no plan to get us back on track to reach Net Zero. Evidently, they are more than happy to dismiss perfectly good proposals like incentivising solar power. That is why I am so proud that Bath is home to many community energy projects like the solar system at Beechen Cliff School, so that we can lead the way in renewables.”
“It is not just our climate targets harmed by the Conservatives’ delay. Families in Bath and across the country are struggling to pay soaring energy bills which investment in renewables could curb. That is why we Liberal Democrats would build significantly more renewable energy, aiming to generate 80% of our electricity from renewables by 2030.”
Peter Capener, Managing Director of Bath & West Community Energy said:
“Our work with schools is really demonstrating the value of community energy in both addressing the climate crisis and reducing fuel bills. Rooftop solar installed last year has already saved local schools a combined total of £134,209 and has reduced carbon emissions by 224.3 tonnes, which is equivalent to 12,173 journeys from Bath to Edinburgh by train!”
