Speeches by Reader.

“Still dealing with Polly’s question, and Julia, this is specifically for you: there is a challenge in deploying high-quality engineering skills—project management and cost management—in that the way taxation works, if a company deploys that person long term, after two years they start getting hit by taxation on accommo…”

“I will start with you, Alastair. Do we actually need EN-7? There is still a criteria-based approach, so you are driven to choose sites that are safe and secure. There are operational requirements, which means you need cooling and a transport network. There is also the issue of brownfield sites. Surely you are just goin…”

“Tom, the selection criteria do not pick up a lot on suitably qualified and experienced persons resource availability, and it was a key recommendation of the independent taskforce report that we have this kind of challenge around SQEP. Should that have been more of a consideration about where these sites go?”

“In its current drafting, you can’t see anything that would improve it?”

“So no changes at the moment, Mike. Rebecca?”

“I have a final question; it’s a nice, easy one for you all to finish on. Is EN-7, in its current drafting, perfect, or can you give us one practical recommendation in plain English that could improve it? I will start with you, Catherine.”

“In a general sense, is it proportionate? You can say, “I cannot say.””

“Is that proportionate? Is that right, being frontloaded?”

“But overall, do you think the current process is proportionate and it delivers the right outcomes?”

“Do you think these direct action groups will change their position? Do you think we would get Just Stop Oil or Insulate Britain to come to a conversation with climate sceptics, hear their views and change and come to a common understanding, or are they very much set in their ways—it is their way or no way? They know ri…”

“Lorraine, my final question, how do you think that the Government could constructively engage with these types of groups to help deliver their energy transition policies?”

“From your experience—particularly from the Climate Assembly UK—what are the design features that make assemblies effective, particularly when you are dealing with a highly sceptical audience?”

“From your experience—particularly from the Climate Assembly UK—what are the design features that make assemblies effective, particularly when you are dealing with a highly sceptical audience?”

“Thank you, Chair. I will ask questions around civic forums and citizens’ assemblies, and probably start with a very open question. Stephanie, I will come to you because I know Involve was responsible for facilitating the Climate Assembly UK. Do you think citizens’ assemblies have a role to play in informing and changin…”

“Lorraine, do you think that this can be achieved at the scale we need to deal with the climate scepticism and the climate communications emergency or crisis that we now have in the UK? It feels like you can do it at a small level, but trying to change the view of the electorate would be nigh on impossible.”

“We will talk a bit about climate action groups. Perhaps I will start with you, Angharad. Do you think that climate action groups are helping to build support for the energy transition or are they contributing to the increasing backlash towards net zero targets?”

“For those who are perhaps very famous now for taking direct action, sticking yourself to roads, throwing chalk over Stonehenge, do you think those people really galvanise support on climate change or do they just piss people off?”

“Rather than asking you to comment on the organisations, do you think that throwing chalk over Stonehenge or people gluing themselves the roads helps or hinders?”

“When you are planning more direct action as Greenpeace—let’s take away from those more elitist, private-educated groups—how do you measure that you have actually moved the needle on public perception when you do your more direct activity?”

“Angharad, can you give me an example of where Greenpeace has come with a policy position—you have listened to sceptics, and your position might have changed to accommodate bringing people on board.”