Speeches by Crichton.

“The problem is not in generating power. It is in producing it. It is in offshore jobs in the North sea.”

“Would it help competition in the industry if you did?”

“Why have you not uplifted your deployment targets for renewables?”

“If we win this prize and get to 2030, where would that put us in the euros and the international league table of decarbonisation?”

“You said that it would require a fundamental shift from industry and Government, and from consumers as well, I expect. Have you made any kind of assessment of what that fast tracking will require or cost us in terms of having to speed things up and perhaps in terms of lost opportunity? That industrial strategy, that do…”

“Ben, Chris, thanks for coming in. Thanks for your stamina in answering all our questions. Chris, you were on the Climate Change Committee and recommended a net zero target of 2035. You said just now that that was an extremely stretching target. Now it is a 2030 target. You are among friends here. Do you honestly believ…”

“What do you think Government should be doing?”

“Adam, what does the industry think about such incentives?”

“Can I come in with a quick supplementary on that, Marcelle? Is there a case for derogations or giving priority connections to schemes that involve communities or are fronted by communities?”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir John. I was very struck by the hon. Gentleman’s comment about longer journeys meaning shorter lives. There is no competition on journeys, of course, but my constituents in Na h-Eileanan an Iar and the Western Isles face some of the longest journeys in Britain to ge…”

“I am glad you mentioned the workforce, because the rhetoric is good, and the jargon is good—just transition, clean energy, offshore skills passport—but how is this going to be done practically? What does a just transition mean for people who work and take helicopters into the North sea for three weeks at a time just no…”

“Plus the industry.”

“Thank you for coming in, Secretary of State and Permanent Secretary, and for your bold opening statement and outlining the urgency of the mission, which I will maybe return to if time allows. You talked about siren voices in your opening statement. I wonder whether these siren voices include the Aberdeen chamber of com…”

“I commend my hon. Friend for raising this issue. He talks about the increase in Russian and foreign-state activity in the waters. The role of the Royal Navy and submarine fleet in protecting us from that is vast. I welcome the announcement by the Secretary of State for Defence last week that the joint expeditionary for…”

“What about this worry about supply chain jobs and manufacturing jobs going abroad rather than coming here?”

“Let us talk briefly about that sense of urgency. You mentioned trade unions. I declare my interest as a member of the GMB. Trade unions warn that your 2030 targets mean you will be buying all the supply chains and manufacturing stuff off the shelf from other countries rather than building up the manufacturing base here…”

“Indulge me for asking one off-turf question. One Government have abandoned their climate change targets; the Scottish Government gave up on them. From what you said in your preamble, do you advise the Scottish Government on climate change as well?”

“Let me put the question in a slightly different way. Is net zero sufficiently embedded across Departments in Government?”

“Are these mission boards and joint committees a help or hindrance to delivering net zero, or do you want to see a streamlined structure? You referred to a committee on net zero led by the Prime Minister. Is it a big enough priority in Government?”

“Do they have enough muscle?”