Speeches by Wilson.

“Given that, in the future, there are likely to be many more such applications, you have outlined the impact it has on peatlands and the impact that it is likely to have on the targets you are setting. Do you believe this Committee should be making recommendations that, in the future, that should be an essential compone…”

“In your experience, is that information required on every application?”

“Do you remember the all-party horticultural group? We highlight the importance of the horticultural industry to the UK economy. What are you finding that your competitors are doing? Are they rushing to transition in the same way as the horticultural industry in the United Kingdom is trying to transition? Indeed, are th…”

“Very often when these wind farms are proposed we are told that it will save so many tonnes of carbon. Usually it is calculated on the amount of energy that is generated—that if it was being generated by coal, gas or whatever, so much carbon would be produced and that would not be the case with the wind farm. You have d…”

“In the earlier session, we were told that one of the big problems was that there seems to be no joined-up approach when it comes to peatlands. Let’s take the example we are discussing at the moment. What discussions are there when targets are set for renewable energy by DESNZ and your own Department, when many of those…”

“Yes.”

“It would be useful to have that. Because so many of the wind farms are located in peat-rich areas, could we maybe put on the record what the impact is on those peatlands when a wind farm is located on them?”

“We sometimes make recommendations for the best of reasons. For example, with Drax B power station, we decided not to use coal any longer and to use wood chip, and now we find that that has probably been more environmentally damaging than using coal. I can think of a plant grower in my own constituency who uses coir, bu…”

“Chair, can I just ask one question? The reason given was that it was complicated. First of all, we have the people who are affected by it saying that they are willing to embrace it. Secondly, they say that there are alternatives—alternatives actually that would give them materials from our own country. Thirdly, custome…”

“In the last session, we were told from the horticultural sector that 0.07% of peatlands were actually used for extracting peat for gardening purposes. Do we have a similar figure for the amount of peatlands that are affected by wind farms? Many of the wind farms—I know that in my own constituency it is nearly all of th…”

“Mr Denny, could I just come back to some of the questions that were asked of you? You had indicated that transitioning from the current usage of peat to alternatives could have an impact on your industry. You talked about economic impacts, competitiveness, et cetera. Are there any environmental impacts of moving from u…”

“The Chancellor raised a laugh at the start of her statement when she said she was following the right policies for this country—policies that have resulted in lower economic growth, higher unemployment, people staggering under an increased tax burden and businesses being damaged by employment taxes, and yet she has sho…”

“We should welcome the actions of America and Israel in trying to destroy a regime that, as the Prime Minister described, has exported terror all over the world, but why the weak-kneed response from the Government that we are limiting our bases to defensive actions. Will the Prime Minister clarify what he means by “defe…”

“At the start of this debate, there was a bit of to-ing and fro-ing as to who is to blame for this problem—was it the Conservatives, or the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition? I do not think that is the point. The point is that there is a problem, and we now have a Government who have the ability to deal with it. The second…”

“Does the hon. and learned Member accept that the situation is even worse than that? If goods that are subsidised or get state aid in GB have a tenuous connection with markets in Northern Ireland, the EU can again limit the amount of state aid given, disadvantaging some producers even here in GB.”

“Northern Ireland would expect to do well out of this process, because proportionally we export much more of our industrial production than other parts of the United Kingdom. The Minister rails against the decision on Brexit and so on, but does he accept that since the United Kingdom as a whole voted to leave the EU, th…”

“Would the hon. and learned Gentleman accept that there is a further chilling effect? Namely, companies that might decide to invest in GB or in Northern Ireland may well feel that since they would be able to achieve less support in Northern Ireland than in GB, they will simply choose to invest outside Northern Ireland i…”

“Yesterday I met two apprentices who were engaged in firms delivering defence contracts in Northern Ireland and were enthusiastic about the skills and their prospects, but Northern Ireland benefits minimally from defence contracts across the United Kingdom. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that more contracts…”

“Last week the Government pushed through the imposition of the emissions trading scheme on domestic shipping. That will have a huge impact on Northern Ireland, because so many goods are brought into Northern Ireland from GB, or sent there, on ferries. What assessment has the Minister made of the impact this will have on…”

“Of course we need a commissioner who has the power and ability to expose corruption and deal with it, but today’s statement was not required. We already knew that the Prime Minister made a bad judgment. What the public want to know is how he will be held to account for the things that he knew but ignored. Will the Mini…”