Speeches by Crichton.

“Along with many hon. Members on both sides of the House, I welcome the £3 billion commitment to Ukraine this year, next year and the year after, but there are things that we can do at home as well. For example, this weekend I hope to host a reception for Ukrainian refugees in my constituency—a Valentine’s for Ukraine t…”

“I thank the Minister for his statement, constrained as it is by the legal situation. What a cheek the hon. Member for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (Andrew Bowie) has. He comes to the House pretending to be a hero and protector of the oil industry, when 70,000 jobs, as my hon. Friend the Member for Sefton Central (…”

“Adam, what does the industry think about such incentives?”

“What do you think Government should be doing?”

“Ben, Chris, thanks for coming in. Thanks for your stamina in answering all our questions. Chris, you were on the Climate Change Committee and recommended a net zero target of 2035. You said just now that that was an extremely stretching target. Now it is a 2030 target. You are among friends here. Do you honestly believ…”

“You said that it would require a fundamental shift from industry and Government, and from consumers as well, I expect. Have you made any kind of assessment of what that fast tracking will require or cost us in terms of having to speed things up and perhaps in terms of lost opportunity? That industrial strategy, that do…”

“Would it help competition in the industry if you did?”

“The problem is not in generating power. It is in producing it. It is in offshore jobs in the North sea.”

“What do you think Government should be doing?”

“Adam, what does the industry think about such incentives?”

“Can I come in with a quick supplementary on that, Marcelle? Is there a case for derogations or giving priority connections to schemes that involve communities or are fronted by communities?”

“Having accused you of being perhaps over-ambitious, can I turn to solar energy? Solar Energy UK has pressed for 60 GW of solar. The Secretary of State, when he was in front of us, said that that was a floor, but you have set targets of 45 GW to 47 GW. Why?”

“If we win this prize and get to 2030, where would that put us in the euros and the international league table of decarbonisation?”

“We are lucky that we have retained a mobile banking service in the highlands and islands, with the bank van a familiar sight in villages throughout the islands and parts of the highlands, but a central post office in any town in a rural constituency is vital for businesses to deposit their cash as well as for cruise sh…”

“I do. I mentioned that the building in which in the main post office—the Crown office—in Stornoway is housed in is beautiful and over a century old. Although I understand that the Stornoway post office may itself be retained, it may be converted into a franchise and moved elsewhere. That would have a detrimental effect…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss. I commend the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Jamie Stone) for securing this important debate. He and I know the importance of retaining a physical high street in our own highlands and island communities—the most rural in the country. It…”

“Why have you not uplifted your deployment targets for renewables?”

“Can I come in with a quick supplementary on that, Marcelle? Is there a case for derogations or giving priority connections to schemes that involve communities or are fronted by communities?”

“All of that is very expensive. Who should be paying for that, the consumer or the investor?”

“Does that mean new-build gas stations that take carbon out or do you retrofit existing gas stations?”