Fourth Carbon Budget

Sajid Javid Excerpts

Tuesday 17th May 2011 Commons Chamber

[Chris Huhne]

I can indeed.

[Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove) (Con)]

The strategy announced today contains a “ripcord”: the targets will be reviewed in 2014 if they prove to be more aggressive than those of our European Union partners. Does my right hon. Friend agree that that will be important to energy-intensive industries in Britain which are themselves important to our future prosperity and the creation of jobs?

[Chris Huhne]

I do. I noted the criticism from Opposition Members, and I refer them to a bit of socialist history. The attempt to build socialism in one country under Joe Stalin was not an unalloyed success, and, similarly, an attempt to build climate change policies in one country would not be an unalloyed success. We must keep a weather eye on the competitiveness of our industries and on what is going on overseas, but we have set a very clear direction. We will be ambitious in our climate change goals, and I am determined for us to drive the growth of these new opportunities and industries as a result.