Speeches by Reader.

“One of the biggest objections is to the action that the Government will take in addressing energy security in our country through onshore wind, onshore solar and expanding and putting resilience into the transition network. From my inbox, the biggest argument against all those things is that it impacts on food security…”

“Is that one of the challenges we face in building support for the energy transition? Has it been such an issue for such a long time that people are a bit blind to it or used to talking about it?”

“Is it fair to say, therefore, that changes to taxation on farmers is a much bigger issue than climate change? That was a political issue that drew out the farming community en masse, but we do not see that same level of concern from the farming community about climate.”

“Given the prevalence of the impact on food security and food production, why are the CLA and the NFU not more prominent in their campaigning on the climate crisis?”

“Judicaelle, I will stick with you. Is it fair to say that climate change is having a major impact on food production in the UK?”

“That leads me to my next question on authorities that are sceptical of climate change. My local authority, West Northamptonshire council, which is run by reform, has banned the words “net zero”, and has banned training or any focus on it. It even withdrew great council projects from the wards, because they did not want…”

“That is interesting—you just mentioned that there is a mayoral panel. Does Andrea Jenkyns attend the mayoral group?”

“The participation strategy emphasises collaborating with local authorities. What specifically will you do with local authorities to get them bought in to what the Government want to achieve?”

“Put yourself a year ahead, when you come back in to see us: if the public attitudes tracker says that attitudes are getting worse towards support, what actions do you think you would have to take?”

“What are the metrics you will use to judge whether that strategy is successful?”

“We read your Energising Britain strategy and the five principles of how the Government will work with people, communities and organisations: communicate, listen, enable, grow and collaborate. What metrics will you use to judge whether that is a success?”

“That is positive to hear, thank you.”

“I think that you are right that the clean energy mission sits with the Department, but the climate and carbon budget is cross-Government. Do you see as much priority given to that in other Departments as you do in yours, given that the plan you have just referenced talks about fuel and transport? The CCC report is very…”

“It is very positive to hear that the Department is holding a Government-wide view of risk. You just referenced the carbon budget and growth delivery plan, and that very clearly relies on other Departments. Do you see delivery of the clean energy mission being as big a priority to other Departments as it is for DESNZ? I…”

“The Department has recognised the challenge with public perception—you published the Energising Britain strategy—but it does not seem like this big risk to the transition is owned somewhere centrally. Or is that an unfair assessment?”

“It sounds like there is not a corporate risk register of the things that are impacting delivery, or does that corporate risk register exist for the Department, as a single thing that says what the risks are to you delivering on your responsibilities as a Department?”

“On that risk register, would we see the risk of the reduction in public consensus and buy-in to the energy transition? DESNZ’s data shows that 41% of people now have a negative view, versus 22% with a positive view, of the Government’s work on energy transition. Would we see that on the risk register, and where would i…”

“Ryan, does the Department maintain a risk register of some sort, looking at risks to the Department of not delivering on the energy transition?”

“You picked my final question around what the technical, financial or policy barriers are that prevent farms from exploring renewables and exploring renewables beyond solar. It sounds like licensing is one of them.”

“Did this form part of your evidence into the Batters review—in terms of profitability? A large argument for installing renewables, beyond the green issue, is that you can reduce your costs, so do you think that the Batters review was clear enough on the profitability benefits of investing in green technology?”