Local Power Plan

Julian Smith Excerpts

Tuesday 10th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ed Miliband]

My hon. Friend speaks with great eloquence on these issues. I am very interested in the power, introduced under the Infrastructure Act 2015, to give local community groups the right to buy a share of large-scale projects. That power has never been triggered—I think it may have been the fruit of the coalition negotiations—but we are very interested in making that power a reality. That is just one of the ways that we can break down the barriers that my hon. Friend talks about.

[Sir Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)]

The Secretary of State will be aware that small businesses across the UK are really struggling with energy costs, particularly in communities in rural areas like North Yorkshire. What can small businesses get from this plan to lower their costs as quickly as possible? What role will the plan play in that?

[Ed Miliband]

This plan is mainly about community groups and non-profit organisations, but the right hon. Gentleman raises a serious issue. It is something that we are talking to the National Wealth Fund and others about, because it emphasises the fact that there is low-hanging fruit here. If we can make it possible for small businesses and others to make these investments, there are ways that they can lower their bills. We might as well use the free resources that are available, such as the free resource of the sun. Obviously, the cost of solar panels has come down a long way. That is something for me to take away and work on.