Martin was able to secure an Adjournment Debate in Parliament on the issue of jobs and growth in the Humber energy estuary. Martin’s debate, which took place on Tuesday 9th February, was attended by a cross-party group of MPs from the Humber area: the Member for Brigg and Goole (Andrew Percy MP), Kingston upon Hull North (Diana Johnson MP), Great Grimsby (Melanie Onn MP) and Scunthorpe (Nic Dakin MP). The debate was an opportunity to highlight the importance of the Humber to the offshore renewables sector and to the northern powerhouse/ northern energy powerhouse. It was also an opportunity to hear from the Government minister responsible for new energy infrastructure and renewables: Andrea Leadsom MP, Minister of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change. You can watch the debate below, or you can read it on Hansard (the official report) here.
Following on from the Adjournment Debate, Martin brought the issue to the attention of Parliament again during today's Oral Questions to the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC):
Martin Vickers:
I thank the Minister for her robust and informative response to my Adjournment debate about the Humber estuary on Tuesday evening. May I draw her attention to a statement issued to the local media by DONG Energy? The statement is wet, woolly and non-committal. Will she reaffirm her determination to be involved in the future developments in northern Lincolnshire?
Andrea Leadsom:
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for his excellent support for his area. I was delighted to respond to him in the Adjournment debate, and I can absolutely assure him that there will be no wriggle room; in order for the UK to benefit properly from our decision to support new offshore wind, we will require UK content and the UK supply chain be a key beneficiary of it.
You can read all Oral Questions and Answers to DECC here.