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Dr Phillip Lee MP
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Phillip Lee MP: Green and energy-saving measures have positive effect on economy

By Dr Phillip Lee MP
March 22, 2012

We have just come to the end of Climate Change Week.

As a member of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee and the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Environment Group, I was recently invited to be a panel member at the Conservative Future Policy Forum.

The discussion was held around ‘How to achieve Green Growth’.

Issues involving environmental and climate change policy are certainly very significant.

I believe that we have the opportunity to make real progress if we act now.

The natural environment is central to economic prosperity and I am pleased that our Government remains committed to being the greenest Government ever.

Since coming to office, legislation has been passed to enable the launch of the Green Deal in autumn this year.

It will be the UK’s biggest-ever energy efficiency scheme, driving forward investment in renewable heat and electricity and setting up the world’s first Green Investment Bank which this year alone will invest over £750 million in new, sustainable projects and technologies.

It will revolutionise the energy efficiency of British buildings by providing consumers with up-front finance to fund energy-efficiency improvements, which will then be paid for by energy bill savings.

In addition, the Government is reforming the electricity market to create a level playing field for all forms of low-carbon generation and it has taken steps to ensure that consumers are protected from rising energy prices.

Customer research tells us that there are currently a number of practical barriers to installing energy efficiency measures because of the ‘hassle’ involved in planning and carrying out work.

In addition, there is currently a widespread lack of awareness of the benefits of improving the energy efficiency of our homes and commercial buildings.

I am not sure that enough people have thought about insulating their homes or businesses, or are aware of the options available to them.

Climate Change Week was seeking to raise awareness about measures that can be adopted to improve our energy consumption habits and hence become more climate change responsive.

Last week, I visited a very successful local company in Sandhurst that specialises in energy strategies for business.

It was not the first visit that I’ve made to a ‘green’ business in my constituency.

Increasingly, local entrepreneurs are realising that many opportunities are available in the low carbon economy.

The Green Deal, for instance, will provide more opportunities for new businesses that help lower carbon, reduce energy and save money off fuel bills.

In a time when this country has large economic challenges to deal with, finding ways to save energy will go hand in hand with people’s incentive to save money.

That is why I believe that energy-saving measures will have a positive effect on the economy for individuals and families as well as companies.

The Green Deal is exactly what this country needs.

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Most recent user comments 5 of 5

The tone of a man's voice and his disaffection towards small green vegetables should have no bearing on his ability to govern, in my opinion, Timothy Jefferies .

The fact he's saying things in that grey area between 'not quite true' and complete lies (or 'politics', as I like to call it) makes a difference though.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
23/03/2012 at 15:39

Is it true Mr Lee has pledged to crack down on tax avoidance by pretending to be Hulk Hogan; taking off his tie, tying it around his head and beating on his chest, before launching into a 10 minute-long, heavily scripted tirade?

Did he really said: "If you ain't down with stamp duty, it's my duty to stamp you down." and then threaten to 'drop a load on those who don’t pay tax on their abode'?

Did he Waggle his finger aggressively and promise to personally visit stamp duty evaders across the UK, and introduce them to his friend, 'The Reverend HMRC of the House of Pain'?

Did he add: "If you're evading monies payable on land and property transactions above a certain value, I'll tear you a new loophole." ?

Let me ask you, Good people of get Bracknell, whether a Politician emitting a high-pitched noise that sounds like an unwell cat or a toddler that doesn't like peas is a good thing for our fine community.

Timothy Jefferies
23/03/2012 at 12:51

Mr Lee. Didn't I just read your lot are axing many of the safeguards which at present controls pollution and use of pesticides amongst other things. I wouldn't exactly call that green. Would you?

By the way is there anything stopping you replying on here?

Dids, Bracknell
22/03/2012 at 15:34

The current government is not green. Firstly we only need to look at the way it is allowing (no insisting on) the local councils approving the green fields surrounding Beacknell and Wokingham to be covered in new housing while elsewhere in the country there are acres of brown field sites. Secondly they have drawn back from green initiatives like solar panels and are encouraging gas fired power stations. They should be introducing planning requirements that all new construction projects must include a form of renewable energy in the development. Thirdly they are failing to give sufficient support to the develpment of wave and tidal energy. Fourthly they have done nothing to encourage the use of water power. The non-tidal Thames for example has 28 weirs most of which could be used to generate electricity cost effectively 24/7. They were after all originally constructed to drive water mills. Fifthly they should be doing more to manufacture the means of generating renwable energy within the UK. The recently introduced patent box should have been matched by a similar green box for development of the results of green research in the UK.

PoneRana, Wokingham
22/03/2012 at 15:15

Nonsense. The latest budget shows a massive back-tracking away from green energy, with an increase in consumption by gas-fuelled power stations. And the recent loss of the government-backed solar panel grants (after many people had planned to install them, and businesses had been set-up to carry out the work. The government suddenly pulled the plug.)