Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Mosley Excerpts

Thursday 4th September 2014 Commons Chamber

[Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe) (Lab)]

5. What steps he is taking to increase the UK’s energy security.

[Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con)]

6. What assessment he has made of the security of the UK's energy supply.

[Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab)]

13. What steps he is taking to increase the UK’s energy security.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Davey]

With regard to the two nuclear plants involved, Heysham and Hartlepool, we are taking only precautionary measures to ensure that proper safety and security measures are examined, and I am sure that the whole House will agree that that is the right step. The impact that that will have on our margins over the winter has already been taken account of in National Grid’s analysis and procurement plans. On the hon. Gentleman’s longer point, the whole energy strategy is designed to ensure that we have the capacity that we need not just for the short and medium term but for the long term. I refer him to the investment report that we published in July, which shows a fantastic record of investment in energy across the piece. Indeed, there have been record levels of investment in energy, especially in low-carbon energy.

[Stephen Mosley]

What action are the Government taking to ensure that gas supplies keep flowing this winter should Russian gas stop flowing to the EU?

[Mr Davey]

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. The UK imports very little gas from Russia. We have the most liquid and resilient gas markets in the whole of the European Union, but of course we are not complacent. We have been working at the EU to ensure not only that we check resilience of our gas supplies but that our EU colleagues are able to ensure their energy security. This is an EU measure which is very important for the whole of the European Union.