Katie White
MP for Leeds North West · Labour · United Kingdom
“I would like to highlight three things that this Government have done to tackle climate change. First, we have brought forward carbon budget 7. I pay tribute to many Members of this House for the excellent discussion we had, with contributions from Members from Darlington to Devon, via Derby.”
“I agree with my hon. Friend’s comments on public support. Ultimately, pretty much everybody in this House cares about the people and places that we love.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for her contributions on climate change in the debate last week on carbon budget 7. The recent heatwave showed us for the first time the implications that we face across our country.”
“I will absolutely congratulate Winchester city council on leading on this. Councils play a hugely important role, and I am looking forward to meeting many of them to discuss this issue when I visit the Local Government Association later this week.”
“I thank my hon. Friend—another fantastic speaker in the carbon budget debate the week before last—and Ranelagh school students for presenting their ideas.”
“As I am the one answering the hon. Member’s question, I cannot comment on those decisions. The OBR has put forward various reports to look at the impacts of climate change on our economy, and the value of investment versus the cost of inaction.”
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“I thank the hon. Gentleman once again for championing this issue. I know he has been calling for it, and I welcome the engagement. It was exciting to see the first deep geothermal project being opened in February, as a result of the contracts for difference, and more projects are coming online as a result. We are prioritising the heat network, but I would welcome more conversations with him to ensure that we are making all the right choices.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for her leadership in West Bromwich, in this place, and internationally. This Government have consulted on our manifesto commitment to introduce transition plan requirements for UK regulated financial institutions and large companies, and my Department will publish our response to that consultation shortly.”
“Electrification is key—that is something we can agree on across the House and outside. As my hon. Friend rightly says, since July 2024 we have secured £90 billion of investment in the UK within the clean energy sector, and it is fabulous to see the CBI report today that says that that sector is now supporting nearly 1 million jobs in the UK. Those are real jobs and lives across the country.”
“I am glad to see the right hon. Member’s agreement on the direction of travel. We must ensure that we involve local communities in decisions, but choices need to be made. I was honoured to work with one of his colleagues in the other place—they were formerly in this place—who spoke to me as a farmer about the value of solar projects for farmers. We must ensure that we protect that land. That is why my colleagues in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs introduced the “Land Use Framework”, and we must ensure a strategic approach. In all our plans less than 1% of land will be used for solar, but I am keen to continue the conversation and I am glad we agree on the direction of travel.”
“May I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for her leadership on this issue? The UK is a global leader on carbon pricing and nature recovery. We are committed to strengthening carbon markets to help us achieve our climate and nature goals. At London Climate Action Week, we will set out our work to centre integrity and build scale in these markets through the coalition to grow carbon markets, and the consultation response will be published later this year.”
“I assure my hon. Friend and investors that nature-based solutions are central to our response to this issue. London is the centre of carbon markets, and we want to protect that. We have been focusing on the coalition to grow carbon markets, which we will work on at London Climate Action Week, but I would love to work with her to make sure that we give reassurance, act with integrity and come forward with the necessary proposals.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for raising this incredibly important issue. We need to make sure, when pushing forward with our planning developments, that they are undertaken with communities, and that the commitments made are delivered. I would very much welcome hearing more about the case that he raises, and I will talk to my colleagues and to him to take this forward.”
“We are grateful for the Severn Estuary Commission’s work, and we recognise the benefits that tidal range can bring to our energy system. For now, the Government remain open to considering well developed proposals for harnessing the tidal range energy in the bays and estuaries around our coastline. I am very happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss this further.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for her continued championing of this matter. It was exciting to see the opening of the first project in February. We are focusing on the local heat networks, but we will continue to engage and are glad to see the CfD projects coming to fruition.”
“Friend the Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson) that, since taking on this role, I have been to Derby North more times than anywhere else. I also thank the students from Reigate Park primary—I look forward to reading to them. The hon. Member for Thornbury and Yate (Claire Young) must be celebrating our nuclear plans, but I very much recognise her focus on innovation.”
“He pointed out something that is often missing, as indeed it was in the Opposition’s plan, which is that we have to invest in our energy infrastructure. We have a choice in where we make those investment choices. I thank, too, the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) for her contribution. We have worked very closely together on oceans, and I am glad that she recognises the crucial progress that this Government have made. I also hope that she recognises that our warm homes plan is the biggest upgrade in British history. We always welcome people with new ideas, but I think recognition of how far we have come is also good. My hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Leigh Ingham) outlined the risks as well as the opportunities available in this area. I say to my hon.”
“That got a little bit feisty at the end, didn’t it? I start by thanking my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Luke Murphy) for securing today’s debate. He is a fantastic advocate for climate and nature, both in his constituency and as chair of the APPG on climate change. I know that he has been pushing for this debate for a long time, so I am grateful for the opportunity to set out the Government’s position in detail today. I also thank the hon. Members for Oxford West and Abingdon (Layla Moran) and for Bristol Central (Carla Denyer) for their contributions. I have enjoyed our collaborative work and feel sure that they welcome our clean jobs plan. I endeavour to work with them on a happier outcome. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Sefton Central (Bill Esterson) for his typically eloquent overview.”
“We are the generations with the power and the opportunity to act and build a cleaner, more secure and more prosperous future for our children and grandchildren. That is why we are stepping up on the global stage once again and showing real leadership with our mission to achieve clean power by 2030 and accelerate to net zero across the economy.”
“Heavy rainfall has cost farmers hundreds of millions of pounds, which was referred to by my hon. Friend the Member for Hitchin (Alistair Strathern). Extreme heatwaves have disrupted almost every aspect of our lives. The Office for Budget Responsibility is also clear that rising temperatures pose a huge threat to our economy and could wipe billions off our GDP in the years to come if we do not act. That is why, as our national security strategy sets out, tackling climate change and nature loss is vital for both global stability and our national resilience. As the Prime Minister said, there can be no national security without climate security. Let me be clear, though, where we face severe challenges, we are absolutely capable of meeting them.”
“Friend the Member for Basingstoke knows, we have been talking about these issues for more than two decades, which means that we can sometimes become desensitised to the urgency of the challenge. But we in this House have a responsibility to be honest about the gravity of what is at stake. The truth is that the world is getting hotter at an alarming rate—the past decade has seen the 10 warmest years ever. The Amazon has seen the worst droughts on record, partly as a result of deforestation, and in the Arctic and Antarctic global warming is driving geopolitical competition over the resources lying beneath the ice. I recently spoke to Ministers from the Caribbean who told me about the horrific damage caused by Hurricane Melissa. Here in Britain, we are in no way immune, with recent storms such as Goretti flooding homes and cutting off power.”
“I thank the hon. Lady very much for her kind invitation. I will consider it and get back to her. Finally, I thank the hon. Member for Winchester (Dr Chambers), who raised some important issues around health. He also championed the role of science. I too have always thought that science is crucial, but since entering this role, I have found British scientists to be fabulous. They are at the heart of telling us what the problems are and at the heart of innovation, so I pay tribute to them. I want to assure the House that this Government remain totally committed to limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and that doing so is at the heart of our agenda. As my hon.”
“The crisis in Iran and the Gulf is yet another wake-up call to the fact that the UK’s energy system does not work. Our critics like to talk about the cost of transition, but the previous Government spent £44 billion on supporting households and businesses after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We are totally committed to clean energy, to working with partners around the world to keep the Paris goal within reach, and to building a secure, more prosperous Britain for today and for future generations.”
“We have made more commitments, including a £6 billion commitment to international climate finance. On top of that, we will generate an additional £6.7 billion of UK-backed climate and nature-positive investments. To those who still doubt the effectiveness of global climate action, I say this: before the Paris agreement in 2015, the world was on track for 4°C of global warming by 2100, but thanks to the commitments made since, we have brought that down to 2.3° to 2.5°. That is still a terrifying figure, but the difference for millions of people around the world is literally life or death. It is also a source of optimism, because it shows that the ambition is there. I remind the House that keeping 1.5° in reach is only half the story.”
“I am pleased to confirm that the UK has delivered on our commitment to spend at least £11.6 billion on international climate finance over five years by the end of this financial year. We are working to ensure that that money makes a genuine difference for those on the frontline of the climate crisis, supporting stability and security across the world. Since 2011, we have helped 137 million people adapt to the effects of climate change, whether it is creating a renewable-powered clean water supply in Mexico or building infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather in the Caribbean. We have also provided 89 million people with improved access to clean energy, including solar-powered cold storage to help prevent food waste in Kenya— [Interruption.] I will speed up a little, as I hear the Whip’s cough.”
“We were the first country to pass a climate change Act and set up our own independent body on climate change—a move since been replicated by over 70 countries. I would like to take a moment to applaud the Conservatives for their leadership at COP26. It is evident that the choices that we make in Britain influence the course of global action and, in doing so, help to protect future generations here and abroad from the impacts of the climate crisis. Our clean energy mission at home gives us the perfect platform to continue leading by example on the world stage. People want us to show leadership. They see what is happening in the world and they expect us to play our part.”
“This has slashed the club’s bills and allowed them to host the country’s first carbon-neutral rugby game. At a nuclear skills academy in Derby, I was lucky enough to meet—and was massively impressed by—Gracie, a 17-year-old apprentice who is the fourth generation in her family, and the first female, to train up to work in the clean energy revolution. She recognised that she is in the right place at the right time: helping to tackle the climate crisis, drive growth and ensure our energy security. I know that there are those who doubt the impact that Britain can have on global emissions, but they underestimate this country’s potential and forget that we have already made a huge difference.”
“We have launched Great British Energy—our first publicly owned energy company for 70 years—and we have kick-started our new golden age of nuclear with the greatest investment in new nuclear power for half a century, including plans for our first small modular reactors at Wylfa on Anglesey. We also held Europe’s biggest ever offshore wind auction, alongside the largest ever procurement of solar projects in the UK, collectively securing enough clean energy to power the equivalent of 16 million homes. At the heart of this mission is a determination to support communities and create the good clean energy jobs of the future. Last week I visited the Bridgend Ravens rugby club in Wales, which has just partnered with Electricity Cymru to install solar panels and LED lighting.”
“In fact, its research shows that household bills would rise by nearly 60% from a future fossil-fuel spike if we fail to deliver on our clean power mission. Pursuing this path is therefore not an agenda or activism—and I can assure the shadow Minister that I am not a purist. It is common sense, and it is our patriotic and economic duty. We have made huge progress in the less than two years that we have been in power. Since July 2024, over £90 billion of investment has been announced for home-grown, clean energy. We have lifted the onshore wind ban in England and approved record amounts of renewable energy.”
“As the unfolding conflict in the middle east reminds us, home-grown, clean energy is also the way to ensure our energy independence and protect British people from the impacts of events beyond our borders. As we saw four years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine, as long as our energy costs are set by international oil and gas markets, we will always be exposed to price shocks. That is why accelerating the shift to clean, domestic power is a national security imperative, not a “nice to have”. The Climate Change Committee has been clear on that too. Its recent advice on carbon budget 7 confirmed that delivering the clean energy transition is the most cost-effective path ahead for the UK economy.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for raising that. He is exactly right. When it comes to our energy policy, the way that we work at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is by balancing the trio of emissions and environmental concerns, energy security, and price. It is within that trio that we operate all our policies. The transition to clean energy is a historic opportunity to improve people’s lives in this country. It is the route not only to lower emissions and climate security—vital though they are—but to lower bills, warmer homes and cleaner air. It is the best way to revive industrial regions and create good jobs and new opportunities for young people.”
“This Government are absolutely committed to supporting the NHS to be at the heart of our decarbonisation effort in order that, first, it gets to reduce its emissions and that, secondly, it can reduce its dependence on expensive fossil fuels. That is why Great British Energy has already supported over 260 NHS sites with up to £130 million of funding. GPs are not part of NHS sites but under the boiler upgrade scheme they can access £7,500 towards heat pumps and £5,000 towards biomass boilers.”
“I thank the hon. Member for raising this really important issue, and for raising the figures. I think she would agree that we have an ambitious plan. Today’s announcement of the local power plan may well meet some of the needs that she raises. I will take this issue away and have a look at it. We recognise that retrofitting commercial buildings can be costly and complex, and we are looking at other levers to do that, including accessing private finance and exploring novel options such as property-linked finance. Today’s announcement will help, and I am very happy to discuss it further with her.”
“I applaud my hon. Friend for all his ambition and championing of the opportunities that are presented in our low-carbon transition plan. Today’s announcement of the local power plan is a real opportunity to turn the dial on this issue, for local communities to become involved, and to make the best of the benefits of the low-carbon transition. I look forward to working with him further on it.”
“As set out in the recent northern growth strategy, the north-east is at the forefront of our clean energy revolution. Our industrial strategy’s clean energy industries sector plan sets out measures which will support investment and growth across the UK. Great British Energy has supported grants to mayoral strategic authorities, which will enable locally led energy projects.”
“My hon. Friend is absolutely correct to highlight the huge opportunities for the north-east in the energy transition. We estimate an additional 10,000 jobs by 2030, building on those that are already in place in offshore wind in the Port of Tyne and in nuclear Hartlepool. She is right to point out the importance of the transition for both existing workers and the next generation. That is why we have introduced a clean energy jobs plan to ensure that that transition is as successful as possible. I highlight the work of Mayor Kim McGuinness, who held an excellent green jobs fair in the north-east, which has provided a blueprint for the rest of the country, and the importance of our work, hand in hand with the trade unions, to ensure that we deliver the most effective transition possible.”
“This Government take energy security extremely seriously. We run one of the world’s safest, most reliable energy systems, and we are a top destination for investment. Investment in our energy infrastructure undergoes the highest level of national security scrutiny.”
“That is slightly audacious, given that when we left government in 2010 we had, I think, three of the top solar companies in the world, but when we came back into office we had nothing—there was no supply chain. National security is this Government’s No. 1 overriding priority. We are engaging constructively with every opportunity and all actors but at the same time making sure that every single decision takes into account our national security, which comes first above anything else.”
“From China to Cornwall, Mr Speaker! I thank my hon. Friend for his continued championing of Cornwall, geothermal energy and critical minerals. This Government support geothermal, and we will engage constructively at any key moment.”
“At the recent North sea summit, we committed to a joint ambition of 100 GW of offshore renewable projects with our European neighbours, including through co-ordinated energy infrastructure planning. We are determined to work closer than ever with our European neighbours to maximise our joint clean energy independence. Strategically planned, interconnected and efficient electricity trading is a key element of that plan.”
“Happy new year, Mr Speaker. The Department works closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Support for councils includes the local net zero hubs—such as the Greater South East net zero hub, which covers the Eastbourne constituency—and Great British Energy, enabling councils and communities to build a pipeline of local clean energy projects, bringing growth and attracting commercial investment.”
“Local councils play a pivotal role. I work closely with the local net zero delivery group and with UK100, and I have been fortunate enough to visit the Labour-run councils in Leeds and Sheffield to see the excellent local work that they have been doing to support net zero. The hon. Gentleman has made an excellent point about the need to ensure that councils help local people to do what they want to do in this regard, and have the necessary EV infrastructure. It sounds as though there are some good leadership opportunities to learn from other councils.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for her excellent question, and for her championing of Bradford council and her constituency. District heat presents a massive opportunity, as I have seen at first hand in Sheffield and Leeds, and, as the Secretary of State pointed out, there are some excellent projects in Cornwall as well. It is great to see Bradford council leading the way. UK100 and councils across the country are at the cutting edge of leading our transition, and it is great to learn from them.”
“The Secretary of State regularly meets Cabinet colleagues about these issues. This Government are absolutely clear that any expansion of Heathrow must be compatible with our legally binding carbon budgets and net zero targets. We are committed to ensuring that the economic benefits of airport expansions are delivered in line with our environmental and climate objectives.”
“I enjoyed being part of the hon. Gentleman’s sunshine debate. I have been excited to work closely with the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, who is with us in the Chamber, and we look forward to the future homes standards coming shortly.”
“Refineries are playing a key role in driving the UK SAF industry forward, strengthening energy security with a home-grown supply. We are also de-risking investment in SAF production through the revenue certainty mechanism. We are working with industry to cut emissions through carbon capture and low-carbon hydrogen at major clusters such as Viking and HyNet. We will set out a clear plan for industrial decarbonisation to keep the UK competitive.”
“But with challenge comes opportunity, and the Government are determined to seize the opportunities by driving innovation, supporting investment and ensuring that the refining sector continues to play a vital role in our economy and for our energy security for decades to come. The Government have already taken significant steps to support the refining sector and the wider fuel sector, and we are committed to do more. We have driven the shift to low-carbon fuels through the renewable transport fuel obligation, and this year we went further with the sustainable aviation fuel mandate, backing cleaner fuels for aviation. The Humber refinery already produces SAF at commercial scale, while Fawley and Stanlow are among the projects backed by our advanced fuels fund, which provides grants to accelerate the next generation of transport fuels.”
“Friend the Minister for Energy made clear in June, the Government are absolutely committed to securing the long-term viability of the UK’s refining sector, and, as set out in the autumn Budget, we are reviewing critical policies to address the challenges that the sector faces. Those challenges are real. In the 1970s, the UK operated 18 refineries; today, as has been said many times during the debate, only four remain. Falling demand for traditional fuels, global competition from mega-refineries in the middle east, India and Africa, changing trade dynamics and ageing assets all put pressure on UK operations.”
“The Humber refinery in the constituency of the hon. Member for Brigg and Immingham is the UK’s only source of anode-grade petroleum coke, which is essential for electrical vehicle production. The Fawley refinery contributed to the global covid-19 response by supplying the specialist halobutyl rubber used to seal vaccine vials. Importantly, UK refineries are also investing in their own future through decarbonisation and diversification by deploying carbon capture or producing low-carbon fuels to support our transition to net zero. Demand for refined products will continue, even beyond 2050, and the UK’s refineries will remain essential for hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy industry, aviation and maritime. That is why, as my hon.”
“This is a timely opportunity to discuss a matter of strategic significance for our nation’s energy security: the future of the UK refining sector. The industry has helped to underpin our economy and our resilience for decades, and its future deserves our full attention. The Minister for Energy is in Grangemouth today, and I will say more about that later. Our refineries play a crucial role in ensuring a stable supply of the essential fuels that keep our transport networks running, our industries operating and consumers supplied with the energy they rely on every day. The sector is more than just a fuel; it drives growth in key sectors, supports thousands of skilled jobs in communities and sustains supply chains for chemicals, plastics and manufacturing. Refineries also play a critical role in the wider downstream oil sector.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Western. I have really enjoyed the debate, which has been full of passion and emotion. I heard the anger, including in what my hon. Friend the Member for Alloa and Grangemouth (Brian Leishman) said, but I also heard that there is a lot of commonality in some of our values and on the transition that we are trying to achieve together. I have genuinely enjoyed listening and I have noted lots of points. There were a lot of questions; I will endeavour to get through them, but if I do not, we may need to follow up in writing to hon. Members. I thank the hon. Member for Brigg and Immingham (Martin Vickers) for securing this important debate, and I am grateful to all hon. Members for their contributions.”
“These measures demonstrate our commitment to supporting investment, driving innovation and ensuring that the refining sector remains competitive and resilient as we transition to a low-carbon economy. Looking ahead, the Government are taking further steps to secure the long-term future of the UK refining sector and to ensure a just transition. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has established a dedicated team to work across Whitehall and with industry. A number of Members asked about working across Whitehall; we will continue to do that, to ensure that we maximise the impact. This will guide how we manage the transition, protect energy security and support jobs and local communities. We will continue to engage closely with the fuel industry to identify practical measures that can strengthen the sector.”
“That decision gives refineries and other energy-intensive industries the certainty that they need. By maintaining those benchmarks, we are providing stability and breathing space, helping businesses plan, manage costs and prepare for future changes to the scheme. We are also reviewing compensation for energy-intensive industries. We announced in the autumn Budget that we are assessing the feasibility of including refined products in the carbon border adjustment mechanism, so that imported goods face an equivalent carbon price and the sector’s efforts to decarbonise will not be undermined by carbon leakage. This is the refining sector’s top priority, which the Government are committed to exploring as one of several levers to support the sector’s long-term future.”
“That is the case in terms of nation states, but I think the UK’s impact in the world is so much larger, whether through people following our policy decisions, the impact of our banking sector or our consumption of goods, which has also come up a lot. We are looking at how we manage the transition, and we want to do it in a way that respects the science, but I am also competitive about where Britain can take advantage of these industries. We want to make sure that we have these industries, including the wind turbines that the right hon. Gentleman mentioned, but we also want to look at how we can make the transition justly and fairly. I will come on to that later in my speech. Last month, the UK ETS Authority confirmed that current benchmarks will stay in place for the 2027 scheme.”
“I am glad that the right hon. Gentleman intervened, as I was going to come on to his points—in particular, his interesting point about the national interest. I say to him gently that I feel we are working in the national interest, but the national interest includes energy security as well as respecting the science of climate change, which is happening. As he is the Father of the House, I genuinely listened to his points, but I was a little disappointed— [ Interruption. ] He can laugh all he likes, but I listened to his points. He talked about the UK being responsible for less than 1% of emissions.”
“These steps demonstrate our commitment to a managed transition by supporting communities, attracting investment and ensuring that sites like Grangemouth—”