Speeches by Thomas.

“8. What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her regulatory policies of recent trends in levels of money laundering in retail businesses.”

“We face an emergent healthcare crisis in towns and communities across the country as demand for non-surgical aesthetic treatments, including botox and dermal fillers, rises. This is fuelled by social media and societal pressures on young people. Such treatments often take place in unregulated high street environments a…”

“The Minister has quite rightly pointed out that residents across the country expect councillors to take a more strategic approach to deliver better services. My residents across Bromsgrove and its villages share that ambition. However, the biggest elephant in the room is the role of adult social care in the local gover…”

“Do you think it would be wise to ask NESO to do any more modelling?”

“Thank you, Secretary of State, for coming. Late last year the NESO report assessing the system costs of delivering the Clean Power 2030 plan assumed a carbon price of £147 per tonne of CO2. That is the highest in the developing world, and I understand it is £60 per tonne higher than the assumption your Department is wo…”

“Electricity market reform.”

“It would include where levies are applied, but also perhaps broader reform of the electricity market.”

“For the avoidance of doubt, I draw everyone’s attention to my register of interests. I was formerly employed by a company that makes home heating equipment. This question is about the target for heat pumps and the step change required to hit the Government’s target. In that industry, if you or I have a boiler break dow…”

“I have a bit of time, Chair, and the Secretary of State has referred to prices and what drives business confidence. We see a lot of levies applied to one side of energy rather than the other. The Government are pushing heat pumps. Businesses regularly cite to me that electricity prices are one of their biggest inhibito…”

“Assuming that that carbon price is accurate, and that it bears out in reality, what is your assessment—given that businesses are hurting, and given that in your opening words at the start of this session you said businesses pay the price if we get energy policy wrong—of the extent to which that carbon price would hit b…”

“Former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove has warned against the risks of relying on China for Britain’s energy infrastructure. What assessment has the Minister made of the involvement of Chinese supply chains in the Government’s solar plans?”

“High-security prisons ensure that our national security is not compromised, because they house some of the most dangerous threats to our society. In government, the Conservatives introduced legislation to make it an automatic offence to fly drones within 400 metres of any closed prison. What assurances can the Minister…”

“I want to understand a little about the thinking and the approach towards plutonium. I understand that a decision is to be taken fairly soon. Given that it could be used in small advanced nuclear reactors, why dispose of it rather than put it to an alternate use?”

“Can the Minister update the House on the measures being taken to safeguard against the emergence of Chinese military and surveillance capabilities in the British Indian Ocean Territory?”

“Given the risks that you have described and outlined, do you think the relative imminence of the decision is the right one, rather than to delay?”

“Can the Minister assure the House that Chinese investments in the UK are properly scrutinised, particularly those that may be used to acquire leverage over UK policy?”

“You have spoken about carbon capture being important but underdeveloped. What decisions do you need to see from Government to develop that at pace?”

“Do you think that the NESO report is conclusive proof that Clean Power 2030 will bring down bills? If it is not, do you think that there is a possibility that bills will rise? Do you think that system costs will increase or decrease relative to where they are today?”

“How will you ensure that the sprint to 2030 does not distract us from developing key infrastructure and technology needed for 2050? Kayte O’Neill: That is a great point and one that we have consistently made ourselves. This is not just about delivering for 2030. We are very focused on what will be needed on the system …”

“You touched on SSEP. What is the timescale for that and what kind of consultation will you be engaging in? Kayte O’Neill: Consultation is at the heart of our approach to all of our strategic planning. Last week, or at the beginning of this week, we launched our first consultation on the SSEP. That is a consultation on …”