Speeches by Miliband.

“What you see from the carbon budget and growth delivery plan, which Ryan oversaw, is a cross-Government process where, whether it is DFT, DEFRA or others, they are absolutely engaged in this. Whether it was Steve Reed or, now, Emma Reynolds at DEFRA, or Heidi Alexander at Transport, there is absolute engagement and rec…”

“There are two things I would say to you about what we have done. We have extended help with energy bills to 7,000 businesses through the British industrial competitiveness scheme. This is a really important announcement as part of our industrial strategy. I think it was approximately a few hundred under the last Govern…”

“First of all, let me say we are proud of the work that we did on the TFFF with the Brazilian presidency. It is a very innovative idea for funding. It is about an investment approach to how we protect our forests. We did a lot of work in the background over a couple of years with the Brazilian presidency. That is the fi…”

“I am very wary of going toe to toe with you on these quite complicated questions, Chair, given your background. I will try to extract what you are saying as much as possible. Forgive me if this is simplistic, but the way I think about this is that the TFFF is essentially a mechanism whereby concessional finance from th…”

“There will definitely be a big emphasis on the nature and biodiversity crisis as part of our future ICF.”

“I think you know—I suspect we have had this conversation on previous occasions—that I cannot comment on specific planning decisions.”

“This is a really important question, and I was pleased to be at COP30 with Mary Creagh, who is the DEFRA Minister for Nature, the special representative for nature, Ruth Davis, alongside Rachel Kyte, who is our special representative for climate. We are absolutely working together. It is worth emphasising the point tha…”

“I am sure that there is more that we can do, and I will be really interested to see the results of your inquiry. I would say that the public do get this, though. I think they see what is happening around them, and indeed around the world. The task for us is of course to explain what the science is telling us—a new chie…”

“The road map needs to start with the science of what we need to do as a world and why fossil fuel extraction matters. Why do we need this transition away? Because of the role of fossil fuels in relation to the climate crisis. It needs to look at what the transition will mean for different countries at different stages …”

“There is a contextual point to make to begin with: some people said that when the US decided to pull out of Paris, there would be a domino effect—lots of countries would pull out. That has not happened: 190 countries said, “We continue to have faith in the Paris agreement.” That is significant. I would also say that, d…”

“Sure, but the point is that it is actually less about individual countries—the EU published its target—and more about painting a picture. The why of this is really important. Of course, the why is that people are concerned about the effects of the climate crisis, which are much more apparent than they were, but also th…”

“Not at all, and I am not sure what the evidence is for that being people’s understanding. Let me say one other thing and then come to your question. On the public understanding point, the reason that I made the statement in the summer, which will be an annual statement, about the state of climate and nature was precise…”

“Yes, indeed. I have Kate Hughes, our director and UK lead climate negotiator, and Ryan McLaughlin, director of net zero strategy. I am sorry that the Chair cannot be here, but it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship.”

“I will come to your question, Chair, and I will not make an opening statement, but let me just say, because I think it is important context for our discussions today given the focus on COP30, that, as I said in my statement to the House, we do think it is right for Britain to engage in this multilateral process, and Br…”

“As you will have heard me say to your Committee on previous occasions, I totally recognise that the way the levies and so on have been set up offsets quite a lot of the greater efficiency of electricity. I have always said that if we can find distributionally fair ways to do this, we want to do more to close that gap. …”

“The context of multilateralism working, which is important, is that after the Copenhagen summit of 2009 the world was heading for 4° of global warming. The world is now heading for 2.3° to 2.5° of global warming. That is really bad, but it does represent progress, and it is really important to register that. The succes…”

“Let me say something quickly about the mechanism. The mechanism has now been agreed, we think it will be a good way to share best practice from different countries, and the just transition is incredibly important. We have just unveiled our North sea future plan, and it has a big emphasis on the importance of the just t…”

“I have already given way to the hon. Gentleman. With Russia still at war in Ukraine, with deep tensions in the middle east, and with NATO being tested, this is ridiculous irresponsibility from the Conservatives. [Interruption.] The hon. Member for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (Andrew Bowie) should listen to this. …”

“I will not.”

“Well, the hon. Gentleman’s question is out of date, because, in case he had not noticed, we changed the policy on winter fuel payments. Let me just say this to him: he will have to answer to his constituents. Some 1,500 children in his constituency will be helped by our changes to the two-child cap, and he is saying, “…”