Speeches by Chope.

“You have not said anything about how we are going to reduce our dependency on Chinese solar panels.”

“Following from the answers that the Secretary of State gave—or perhaps did not give—to my colleague, Bradley Thomas, is there any inhibition, other than his own desire, to publishing the documents to which reference has been made?”

“You are increasing to almost total dependency on electricity, rather than utilising our gas resources. That brings me to my final question—”

“The sun hasn’t shone for the past month, so that is by the by.”

“When you made your announcement yesterday about allowing all these extra solar farms, why did you not put in a requirement that they be built using British-built solar panels, rather than imported ones?”

“If you announced that as industrial policy, wouldn’t that help generate the industry that is necessary? At the moment, a solar panel from China is about a fifth or a third of the price of one produced in our own country.”

“But the costs of subsidising solar, wind and other renewables are being borne by the consumer. You have made a big thing of reducing bills by £150, but after that announcement was made, Ofgem said that bills would increase by £108 by 2031, just because of the need to invest more in transmission. Far from the bills comi…”

“Secretary of State, what is the Government’s view on hybrid heating systems? The Green Gas Taskforce has said that a system with a biomethane-fuelled boiler and a small heat pump is a cheaper alternative to stand-alone heat pumps for some 47% of homes, which have low energy efficiency. Do you agree, and what are you do…”

“I am.”

“What I am saying is that you are putting subsidies into solar, you are putting subsidies into wind—”

“What you were hearing, Madam Deputy Speaker, was incredulity being expressed by my hon. Friends at the revelation that so discredited a man had such an influence over the choice of candidates, many of whom were successfully elected at the last general election. I do not how those Members will vote this evening. It is e…”

“And if the Government cannot give a straight answer to my right hon. Friend’s question, that is another reason why we need a public inquiry.”

“My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. Judgment, discretion and the way that we behave are fundamental; they are part of our character, and we know that character is set quite early in life. Certainly, we can see that Mandelson’s character has not changed in all the time he has been involved in public life and so-ca…”

“That is another very good point. I am sure that it has been picked up by Members on the Treasury Bench, and they will respond accordingly. In a sense, we have to thank our mercies that Mandelson has finally been exposed—and not just that exposure outside George Osborne’s house.”

“These revelations keep coming, yet answers come there none. I hope that in due course we can pursue these points further with the Prime Minister when he next appears in the House.”

“I am not going to suggest that we do not vote in support of our own motion. We know from the course of this debate that a lot more questions are being raised. In due course, with the forensic leadership shown by the Leader of the Opposition, I think we will be able to get to the bottom of these issues and get the answe…”

“Actually, I think the appointment has been made. I have met the gentleman concerned, who is an esteemed member of the diplomatic corps. He was present at Mr Speaker’s dinner in honour of the Speaker of the House of Representatives two or three weeks ago. We are in safer, more secure hands.”

“My hon. Friend makes his point in his own way. I just draw attention to the fact that “Freedom 250” is how the United States is describing the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of independence. The point he makes about freedom resonates well on both sides of the Atlantic, and we must never forget that. Our represe…”

“I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her intervention, and I am certainly not going to make any accusations about her owing anything to Peter Mandelson’s patronage. From what she says, it seems that she is going to join those of us in this House who are independently minded and express our views in a straightforward mann…”

“Absolutely. We have to erode this cancer that is affecting our public life and the esteem in which public servants are held. When the public see what has happened over this period in the Mandelson case, they must be horrified.”