The Prime Minister hints at details contained in Government’s delayed energy strategy as he is grilled by MPs on the Liaison Committee
Offshore wind and nuclear power could be the key to the future energy plans of the UK, Boris Johnson told MPs.
The Prime Minister hinted at the details contained in his delayed energy strategy as he was grilled by members of the Commons Liaison Committee on Wednesday.
He said the UK had “failed, for a generation” to invest in long-term energy supplies – describing it as a “colossal mistake”.
The energy strategy had been due to be published this week but was, again, delayed amid reports of Cabinet splits – including over whether planning laws should be changed to facilitate onshore wind farms.
Mr Johnson told MPs: “Renewables are fantastic: offshore wind – and I stress offshore wind – I think has massive potential. But so does nuclear.”
He said the Government had to “fix” the failure to develop new nuclear power plants, and suggested small plants could be on stream by the end of the decade.
The problems around energy will not be solved without the continued use of oil and gas, Mr Johnson admitted, but he insisted his plans did not take away from Government net-zero commitment.
The Prime Minister was also asked about the Government’s cost of living measures, and he defended the decision not to uprate benefits to help people pay rising energy bills.
He was challenged on why he would not consider an “interim uprating” of benefits at “no cost to the Exchequer across the forecast period”, which would then fall again when inflation drops.
Mr Johnson agreed to ask the Treasury to look into whether it could be done in a “fiscally neutral” way.
Grilled by MPs over whether the UK was considering sending more equipment to Ukraine, he said he was “certainly looking at going up a gear in our support”.
Asked what would need to happen for sanctions to be lifted against Russia and Vladimir Putin, he responded: “In my view, we should continue to intensify sanctions with a rolling programme until every single one of his troops is out of Ukraine.”
Source: I News