Speeches by White.

“We are working through that. It is a responsibility of everybody in Government to make sure that we meet the necessary increase in investments in defence. DESNZ had a good settlement at the comprehensive spending review. We are all willing to play our full role in meeting those defence investment plans, and we are work…”

“There was always going to be robust discussions, but we want to make sure that we are balancing that. However, your wider point on energy security being part of the mix is absolutely crucial and is a core part of our agenda. I also launched a climate security taskforce the week before last, which I am doing with the Se…”

“I am Katie White. I am the Climate Minister.”

“I think that that is an unfair challenge. We have put ourselves right at the heart of the agenda again. Britain, at the end of the last Government was certainly not at the heart of the negotiating table. There has been progress on forests. The Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership is something that we have been worki…”

“Chair, if I can clarify, the criticism is towards the Government and not towards the UNFCCC process?”

“I think that is a little unfair. Can I put at the heart of this my boss, who, wherever you sit within the House and your position, would see has met this agenda with a huge amount of energy and leadership and determination? Britain has always been a leader on tackling climate change, and I give credit to the last Gover…”

“There was always going to be robust discussions, but we want to make sure that we are balancing that. However, your wider point on energy security being part of the mix is absolutely crucial and is a core part of our agenda. I also launched a climate security taskforce the week before last, which I am doing with the Se…”

“Excellent question. I will start off and then I might hand over to my colleague. Thank you for your leadership on this agenda over the last couple of decades—I am trying to remember how long ago this is. Same page, a little while ago. I was not at the COPs as much when we were in opposition, so the officials and Rachel…”

“I will start off, but Matt or Rachel may want to come in as well. Absolutely. I know from your constituency that you are embedded in the nuclear sector, which has had a revival under this Government, which is fantastic. For instance on small modular reactors, we have the deal now with Sweden, which is great, and we are…”

“Yes. Matt, do you want to step in on the country action plans?”

“I think that you are absolutely right, and Rachel mentioned it. We are not just in the face of a climate crisis, we are in an energy crisis. This energy crisis is as big as the 1970s and Ukraine put together. It is enormous, and you are absolutely right to look at the long tail of that and what the implications are now…”

“On any trade agreement on international trade, there is clearly a quid pro quo. We are engaging in a deal with countries and we are always looking at how to balance that most effectively to protect our interests but gain access to other markets. I am fully aware of the growing interest in ISDS. We did, as a Government,…”

“I think it is about balancing risk at all times but on each free trade agreement we ensure that we look at what the risks are around any exposure, as you would expect us to do. We are looking and there are different sections that we can write to the Committee about how we have managed on each of them. As I say, it is a…”

“We are central to holding up the legal system internationally and the rule of law internationally, and I think that is of benefit to us as well. People know that we stick to our contract, we stick to our word, so we want to make sure that at the same time we are balancing and managing the risks and the exposure. The Gu…”

“The climate emergency declarations were really useful at the time in moving forward and almost raising an alarm that people and communities were concerned and committed to doing that. I think we are now more in a delivery phase, and different councils are doing that in different ways. We want to strike the balance of l…”

“There was a climate change assembly and, forgive me, I cannot remember exactly what year it was. It was probably five or six years ago, 2019, and then we had the people’s assembly on nature as well. I think it was really helpful. It is interesting, I met with the Korean delegation the other day and they have just got a…”

“That is an excellent question. I think businesses have an absolutely key role and we have a constructive relationship with businesses, whether it is working within the UK or internationally. We want to have high ambition and also look at how to simplify things for business because sometimes with the best of intention w…”

“It is a really good challenge. In my experience in the Department since last September I think we have more external meetings than any other Department by quite a country mile, but I do not see that skewed in any particular direction. It is also quite difficult for companies such as Equinor that are involved in drillin…”

“As you will know, this adaptation at the moment sits within DEFRA, so we will be working across government but DEFRA is the responsible Government Department for that. It is a hefty report that I think you might have with you—”

“I think that you are absolutely right, and Rachel mentioned it. We are not just in the face of a climate crisis, we are in an energy crisis. This energy crisis is as big as the 1970s and Ukraine put together. It is enormous, and you are absolutely right to look at the long tail of that and what the implications are now…”