Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lia Nici and Kwasi Kwarteng

Tuesday 16th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Lia Nici (Great Grimsby) (Con)]

19. What steps his Department is taking to help support the generation of offshore wind energy.

[The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Kwasi Kwarteng)]

The Government recently announced £380 million for our world-leading offshore wind sector, which is boosting jobs and investment across the UK. My hon. Friend will know that the allocation round 4 opens in December, and we are very much looking forward to the bids in that round.

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

I would be delighted to see my hon. Friend and the great people who are working on the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult in Blyth. It is a fantastic development and the people working there will surely allow us to hit the 40 GW target for offshore wind in 2030.

[Lia Nici]

As the Secretary of State knows, Great Grimsby is the UK’s largest centre for offshore wind operations and maintenance. The £160 million announcement for floating offshore wind was very welcome. Does he believe that the time is right to increase our ambitions for that power supply to above 1 GW, which would increase investors’ confidence?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

I am delighted to see my hon. Friend, who I accompanied in her constituency shortly after her stunning victory in 2019. She will know that I and the Department are fully committed to ensuring that we have increased ambitions. We are always looking to increase our ambitions.