Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP: Climate-Related Speeches In Parliament

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Lindsay Hoyle's Speeches In Parliament Related to Climate

We've found 36 Parliamentary debates in which Lindsay Hoyle has spoken about climate-related matters.

Here are the relevant sections of their speeches.

• 25 Nov 2024: Speaker’s Statement

  15:32

  John played a major role in delivering the Kyoto protocol and was a great champion of regional government, integrated transport and affordable housing. After leaving government, he became active in inter-parliamentary relations, leading the UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He was an effective politician, a highly respected colleague and a towering figure in the labour movement and in this House. He will be deeply missed, and all our thoughts are with Pauline and the family.

  John was a politician for working people through and through. That was who he always was. A proud son of Wales and an honorary son of the Humber, he served the city of Hull for 40 years, as you said, Mr Speaker. Everyone knew that he loved it as fiercely as he fought for it. Everything he did was about making working people’s lives better. That was evident from his whole career, a career in which he was often ahead of his time. He led on climate change, fighting regional inequality, supporting the minimum wage, working to transform public transport, building council houses and even completing the channel tunnel. In many ways, he set the path that we walk today. Make no mistake: he did things his own way and forged his own path, and in doing so he brought about some of the greatest transformation this country has ever seen.

  We spoke more in later years, when I was Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, as John always retained a deep and well-informed interest in all things climate, with his significant, globally recognised role in securing the Kyoto climate treaty. The Government’s chief climate negotiator in my time, the brilliant but sadly departed Pete Betts, had also been John’s key negotiator at Kyoto. Pete would tell the story of how John’s sheer energy and staying power were crucial to the success of those negotiations, and how John would tour the negotiating rooms throughout the night, uttering the great phrase: “I’m walking. I’m talking.”

  The many, many tributes over the weekend rightly reflected his immense contribution to the country, which should never be underestimated: his drive to improve council housing; his championing of the minimum wage; his leadership on climate change—climate action before it was a thing. A true socialist and thoroughly authentic, he cared only about making people’s lives better.

  John Prescott’s great many achievements—his commitment to climate change and other matters—have already been spoken of. He was a truly authentic working-class hero, and somebody who always attracted a crowd wherever he went. He persevered with his famous battle bus through good times and poorer ones. What may sometimes be missed is his commitment to devolution, and the great efforts he made in the north-east of England, where he committed to the campaign for a north-eastern assembly. We were not successful on that occasion—the referendum was not won—but, ultimately, John’s legacy prevails in the devolved institutions and authorities that we have seen ever since.

  Everyone has talked about John’s commitment to climate change, but there was also his commitment to devolution, which a few colleagues have mentioned. John Prescott was the engine who drove that path towards a Scottish Parliament and the regional assemblies which will be happening as a matter of course with this new Labour Government.

  I want to say thank you to John for what he did, but also to remember that one of the crucial points in his political career was the issue of climate change and Kyoto. It was not easy, popular or normal; a lot of people refused to even consider what we are doing to the natural world and the environment, and how there are limits to what we can do, hence the protocol that John negotiated and signed up to. He was one of the people who was very important in starting to change the global debate about climate change and respect for the natural world and the environment. We should all say thank you to John Prescott for that.

  As has been remarked, he led our delegation to the COP at Kyoto in 1997, and was widely regarded as the key element in delivering its historic outcome, the first time an international agreement was made to recognise and cut climate emissions. The former US Vice-President Al Gore said that he had

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• 12 Nov 2024: Clean Energy by 2030

  I call the Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.

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• 31 Oct 2024: Business of the House

  10:34

  As Members of Parliament, we can all agree that there is no better occasion than a good telling off by a year 6 class. He is right that COP29 starts in Baku very soon; the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero will update the House on the progress of COP29 as soon as he can.

  This week, I had the pleasure of receiving a letter from Sycamore class of Slaithwaite Church of England junior and infant school. Inspired by Marcus Sedgwick’s novel “Floodland”, the students expressed their concerns about climate change with remarkable insight and passion. The children’s genuine concern and thoughtful suggestions highlighted the urgency of addressing climate change. It was inspiring to see young minds so engaged and determined to make a difference. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating the students of Slaithwaite Church of England junior and infant school on their excellent work? Will she encourage schools across the country to educate pupils about climate change and the actions needed to address it?

  It sounds as if my hon. Friend also got a good going over by some pupils in his constituency— a good education for him, I am sure. I join him in congratulating the students of Slaithwaite Church of England junior and infant school on their work. Climate change education and action inspires the next generation, and we will continue to support it.

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• 11 Sep 2024: Speaker’s Statement

  18:59

  The successful candidates are: Business and Trade Committee, Liam Byrne; Defence Committee, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi; Education Committee, Helen Hayes; Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, Bill Esterson: Environmental Audit Committee, Toby Perkins; Foreign Affairs Committee, Emily Thornberry; Home Affairs Committee, Dame Karen Bradley; Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Florence Eshalomi; International Development Committee, Sarah Champion; Justice Committee, Andy Slaughter; Procedure Committee, Cat Smith; Public Accounts Committee, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown; Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Simon Hoare; Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, Chi Onwurah; Committee on Standards, Alberto Costa; Transport Committee, Ruth Cadbury; Women and Equalities Committee, Sarah Owen; and Work and Pensions Committee, Debbie Abrahams. The result of the election for the Chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee will be announced tomorrow as a recount is going on.

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• 17 Jul 2024: King’s Speech

  My Government recognises the urgency of the global climate challenge and the new job opportunities that can come from leading the development of the technologies of the future. It is committed to a clean energy transition which will lower energy bills for consumers over time. A Bill will be introduced to set up Great British Energy, a publicly owned clean power company headquartered in Scotland, which will help accelerate investment in renewable energy such as offshore wind. Legislation will be brought forward to help the country achieve energy independence and unlock investment in energy infrastructure. A Bill will be introduced to support sustainable aviation fuel production. My Government recognises the need to improve water quality and a Bill will be introduced to strengthen the powers of the water regulator .

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• 21 May 2024: Oral Answers to Questions

  I call the Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.

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• 21 May 2024: Net Zero Target

  I call the Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.

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• 24 Apr 2024: Speaker’s Statement

  Order. Before we begin today’s sitting, I regret to inform the House of the death of a former Member, Lord Field of Birkenhead. Frank navigated a career as a formidable MP, notably as the Minister tasked by Tony Blair with “thinking the unthinkable” on welfare reform. His sharp intellect and independent spirit made him a formidable campaigner against hunger, food poverty and climate change, and for numerous causes related to the Church of England. In recent years, I have been grateful for his championing of Parliament’s commitment to stamp out modern slavery from our supply chains. I am in no doubt that his efforts have saved many lives from this shameful criminal activity. He was one of a kind, and he will be sorely missed. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear.”]

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• 28 Nov 2023: Oral Answers to Questions

  I call the Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.

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• 7 Nov 2023: King’s Speech

  Legislation will be introduced to strengthen the United Kingdom’s energy security, and reduce reliance on volatile international energy markets and hostile foreign regimes. This Bill will support the future licensing of new oil and gas fields, helping the country to transition to net zero by 2050 without adding undue burdens on households. Alongside this, my Ministers will seek to attract record levels of investment in renewable energy sources and reform grid connections, building on the United Kingdom’s track-record of decarbonising faster than other G7 economies. My Government will invest in Network North to deliver faster and more reliable journeys between, and within, the cities and towns of the North and Midlands, prioritising improving the journeys that people make most often.

  My Government will continue to lead action on tackling climate change and biodiversity loss, support developing countries with their energy transition, and hold other countries to their environmental commitments. The United Kingdom will continue to lead international discussions to ensure that Artificial Intelligence is developed safely. My Government will host the Global Investment Summit, the European Political Community, and the Energy Conference, leading global conversations on the United Kingdom’s most pressing challenges.

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• 19 Sep 2023: Contracts for Difference Scheme

  I call the Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.

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• 4 Jul 2023: Energy Intensive Industries: Decarbonisation

  I call the Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.

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• 19 Jun 2023: Business without Debate

  Energy Security and Net Zero

  That Mark Pawsey be a Member of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.

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• 7 Feb 2023: Seafarers’ Wages Bill [Lords]

  14:12

  ‘, its territorial waters, or within the Renewable Energy Zone as specified by The Renewable Energy Zone (Designation of Area) Order 2004.’

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• 2 Nov 2022: Prayers

  Before we come to COP26 questions, it might be helpful if I point out that, following ministerial changes made since Members tabled their questions, answers will now be led by the Climate Minister, rather than the right hon. Member for Reading West (Alok Sharma) .

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• 22 Sep 2022: Energy Prices: Support for Business

  10:00

  May I ask the Secretary of State what, specifically, the review after three months will be looking at and what the criteria will be for determining whether to extend the support? Secondly, how will the taxpayer be protected from energy traders inflating prices, knowing that the Government will be picking up a substantial slice of the costs come what may? Thirdly, what support will the Secretary of State be offering to businesses in the long term to protect themselves from rising energy costs through efficiency measures and the transition to renewable energy?

  The hon. Gentleman raises the issue of transition. Gas is a transition fuel. The Government’s commitment to net zero remains, but we will need gas to heat people’s boilers for the immediate future, and we need to get it as cheaply as we possibly can, using all our domestic resources. Beyond that, there are exciting plans for carbon capture and storage and for hydrogen, which I think present a very attractive future for this country.

  The Secretary of State’s announcements may have finally put a temporary brake on further terrifying price hikes, but they leave huge questions unanswered, including: what is the Government’s exit strategy? We need a proper solution to get us out of this crisis, by reducing our dependence on gas and upgrading buildings for the long term. Just yesterday, more than 100 top businesses wrote to the Government begging them for support for energy-efficiency and large-scale industrial decarbonisation. Can he explain why these businesses were so conspicuous by their absence in the measures he announced today, and will he remedy that now?

  Businesses in Glasgow North West can literally see the turbines that are producing Scotland’s renewable energy. They are not feeling supported at the moment. Can the Secretary of State confirm that the businesses that are being supported most through this crisis are the energy producers and the gas and oil companies?

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• 20 Jul 2022: Oral Answers to Questions

  I call the shadow President of COP26, Ed Miliband.

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• 15 Jun 2022: Oral Answers to Questions

  We now come to the shadow COP26 President.

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• 10 May 2022: Queen’s Speech

  Her Majesty’s Ministers will bring forward an Energy Bill to deliver the transition to cheaper, cleaner, and more secure energy. This will build on the success of the COP26 Summit in Glasgow last year. Draft legislation to promote competition, strengthen consumer rights and protect households and businesses will be published. Measures will also be published to create new competition rules for digital markets and the largest digital firms.

  Her Majesty’s Government will establish the UK Infrastructure Bank in legislation, with objectives to support economic growth and the delivery of net zero.

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• 28 Apr 2022: Her Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech

  My Government invested in new green industries to create jobs, while protecting the environment. The United Kingdom hosted the COP26 Summit in Glasgow. Legislation was passed that will set binding environmental targets.

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• 20 Apr 2022: Tackling Climate Change

  I call the shadow COP26 President.

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• 2 Feb 2022: Speaker’s Statement

  12:43

  “I am passionate in my belief that change is possible. However, as my experience as an MP for a constituency with high levels of inequality and poverty, it is crucial that any change is not just ambitious in the objective of dealing with climate change, but radical in creating opportunity for all. There is much to do and little time to achieve it before it’s too late.”

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• 14 Jul 2021: Topical Questions

  I call the shadow COP26 President.

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• 9 Jun 2021: Oral Answers to Questions

  I call the Vice-President of COP26.

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• 11 May 2021: Queen’s Speech

  My Government will invest in new green industries to create jobs, while protecting the environment. The United Kingdom is committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and will continue to lead the way internationally by hosting the COP26 Summit in Glasgow. Legislation will set binding environmental targets. Legislation will also be brought forward to ensure the United Kingdom has, and promotes, the highest standards of animal welfare.

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• 29 Apr 2021: Her Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech

  My Ministers have pursued policies to protect the environment for future generations, including by improving the sustainability of agricultural and fishing practices. Proposals were published to reform the energy sector and deliver net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. My Government prioritised creating green jobs, including plans to quadruple offshore wind generation. My Ministers continued to lead the global effort against climate change, making preparations to host the COP26 Summit in Glasgow. Funding was increased for developing countries to respond to the impacts of climate change.

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• 23 Mar 2021: Energy Efficiency in Homes

  00:00

  The green homes grant voucher scheme has made significant strides since its launch in September 2020. We have received more than 90,000 applications and issued 33,000 vouchers, worth £142 million, and an additional £500 million has been given to local authorities to improve the energy efficiency of low-income households, helping to reduce fuel poverty for about 50,000 households by the end of this year. This is such an important part of the just transition that we want to ensure that we achieve with net zero. We recognise that the scheme has faced a number of delivery challenges, as many new mechanisms do, which has meant it has not delivered at the rate or the scale that we had originally hoped it would. However, we are working with the scheme administrator to process the backlog of voucher applications, streamlining the voucher issuance and redemption process as a top priority. Some delays in voucher processing are due to our robust fraud and gaming checks, which we have implemented by learning from previous schemes.

  May I associate myself, and all those participating in proceedings remotely, with the moment of national reflection that you have just led, Mr Speaker? Thank you. Yesterday, my right hon. Friend will have seen the report published by the Environmental Audit Committee on the energy efficiency of existing homes, in which we highlighted the scale of the challenge in decarbonising the 19 million homes in this country that account for most of the 20% of UK emissions from domestic buildings. Will the Government commit in the heat and building strategy to a clear timetable to encourage owners of all tenures of homes to install affordable energy upgrades, in order to meet our net zero Britain targets?

  My right hon. Friend is right that the challenge of making all our homes energy-efficient and moving to net zero is enormous. I thank him for his leadership, as Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, in looking in depth at some of the vital issues, to help us not only to solve the technical and financial challenges but to encourage our constituents to make changes to reduce their power and heat usage through efficiency.

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• 24 Feb 2021: Speaker’s Statement

  We now come to questions to the President of COP26, and I welcome the Minister to his new position.

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• 14 Oct 2020: Speaker’s Statement

  00:00

  May I strongly support the aspiration of the Prime Minister, set out last week, to deliver floating offshore wind capacity of 1 GW by 2030? Is he aware that there is a very substantial scheme being worked up in the Celtic sea that would meet a third of that target, as well as creating many jobs in south Wales, Devon and Cornwall? Will he please use his best endeavours to ensure that the Crown Estate looks favourably on that project to help our country to deliver on its important climate change commitments? ( 907535 )

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• 19 Dec 2019: Queen’s Speech

  My Government will continue to take steps to meet the world-leading target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It will continue to lead the way in tackling global climate change, hosting the COP26 Summit in 2020. To protect and improve the environment for future generations, a bill will enshrine in law environmental principles and legally-binding targets, including for air quality. It will also ban the export of polluting plastic waste to countries outside the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and establish a new, world-leading independent regulator in statute.

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• 24 Jul 2019: Kew Gardens (Leases) (No. 3) Bill [Lords]

  15:35

  Kew is a scientific institution of huge importance. As the global resource for knowledge of plant and fungal diversity, it plays a critical role in addressing the unprecedented scale and pace of threats facing the natural world, and indeed humanity, including the threat of climate change. It is fitting that our Secretary of State delivered his flagship environment speech last week at Kew. The fundamental purpose of the Bill is to help Kew to invest and support its vital mission in a way that also maintains and enhances this outstanding world heritage site.

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  16:07

  “(3A) The Secretary of State must issue a report to the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform on any lease granted in reliance on subsection (1) to businesses or individuals based in Scotland, within four weeks of the lease being granted.”

  The other thing that Kew Gardens is working on, along with other institutions, is tackling climate change. There is a climate emergency, as anyone who was watching footage from the Mall 25 minutes ago will know. I was very interested to read that this year, Kew Gardens has awarded the Kew international medal to Dr Mary Robinson for her work on climate justice. Glasgow Caledonian University, in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow Central (Alison Thewliss), has a fantastic research institute on the concept of climate justice. Dr Robinson is a patron of that institute and I have had the huge privilege of meeting her. I am delighted that she has been given that award by Kew Gardens. The Scottish Government have long espoused the importance of climate justice as a way of tackling climate change and helping people who have been the worst affected but have done the least to cause climate change to mitigate and tackle it. That is one reason why we wanted to make the point about the extent of the Bill and the importance of unintended consequences, and it is why we have tabled the amendments.

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• 19 Nov 2018: Finance (No. 3) Bill

  19:55

  This amendment would require a statement on circumstances (in relation to negotiations) giving rise to the need for, as well as an estimate of the cost of, preparatory expenditure to introduce a charging scheme for greenhouse gas allowances. The amendment would require a Commons resolution before expenditure could be incurred.

  Let me turn first to clauses 68 to 78 with respect to the carbon emissions tax. These clauses will take effect only if the UK leaves the European Union in 2019 without a deal. The clauses will give the Government the power to introduce a no-deal carbon emissions tax. The rate for 2019 would be set at £16 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent, and the tax would cover the same electricity generators and industrial businesses that currently participate in the EU ETS. The tax would provide the same protections against carbon leakage as the EU ETS. Operators would pay the tax only on emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted above an allowance set for each installation in advance of the tax year. This is in line with the EU ETS system of free emissions allowances.

  In effect, the carbon emissions tax would seek initially to replicate the effects of the EU ETS as closely as possible, in the event of no agreement. This is important, as I hope hon. Members in all parts of the House will agree, for two reasons: first, because we want to provide certainty for businesses and for the energy industry to enable them to make investment and business decisions with confidence, as the industry has asked us to do; and secondly, because maintaining a carbon price is a key component of meeting our legally binding climate change commitments.

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• 25 Mar 2014: Business without Debate

  Climate Change Levy

  That the draft Climate Change Levy (Fuel Use and Recycling Processes) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, which were laid before this House on 12 February, be approved.

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• 17 May 2011: Localism Bill

  19:30

  (i) achieve reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in line with the carbon budgets set under the Climate Change Act 2008;

  (ii) meet current national policy objectives on assessing the risk of and adapting to climate change, in relation to that area.’.

  (b) climate mitigation and adaptation and in particular flood risk;

  (a) achieve reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in line with the carbon budgets set under the Climate Change Act 2008;

  (b) meet current national policy objectives on assessing the risk of and adapting to climate change, in relation to that area.’.

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• 2 Mar 2010: Natural Gas :Storage

  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will review Lancashire County Council's recent decision to refuse planning permission for additional gas storage capacity in that area. ( 310933 )

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• 22 Feb 2010: Chorley

  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will set out, with statistical information as closely related to Chorley constituency as possible, the effect on that constituency of the policies of his Department since its inception. ( 314240 )

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