WANTED FOR SABOTAGE
16th March 2006
Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test, says that if the tactics of two maverick MPs are not curbed tomorrow, it could have disastrous consequences for the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill.
The Bill which had its Report Stage and Third Reading last week with all-party support was once again subjected to the juvenile actions of two Conservative MPs, one Mr Christopher Chope, a former Southampton MP, the other the Rt Hon Eric Forth. Between them they spoke for a total of three and a half hours out of five, an attempt to deliberately delay the Bill's passage preventing progress through the Bill's remaining clauses. This tactic effectively prevents the Bill from proceeding.
The Bill which was therefore adjourned will now return to the House tomorrow. However, in the last week Eric Forth has tabled three pages of amendments to the remaining clauses of the Bill, which will need to be debated. This can only be once again viewed as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the passage of the Bill. The Sustainable Energy Partnership have in fact written to David Cameron and the Shadow Cabinet urging them to 'ensure the actions of two of your MPs do not invalidate your welcome stance on this matter'.
Dr Whitehead's own Private Members Bill (PMB) 'Management of Energy in Buildings' was derailed earlier in this parliamentary session by similar tactics - during the Second Reading of Dr Whitehead's PMB Eric Forth talked his Bill out which effectively meant there was not sufficient parliamentary time to pursue it further.
However, at the Committee stage of the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill, Dr Whitehead successfully achieved the incorporation of all the key clauses from his own PMB including:
- the better compliance of building regulations in energy efficiency
- the removal of planning permission for micro-generation in homes
- and new regulations to ensure a minimum energy standard in new homes including micro-generation
Dr Whitehead is now therefore intent on seeing this Bill succeed where his own failed and prevent it from falling prey to the same methods of obstruction from these two Conservative MPs.
Alan Whitehead said;
'The threat posed by climate change is now taken very seriously and most people are committed to ensuring that we do all we can to prevent it. This Bill aims to alleviate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the increased use of sustainable energy sources, which will in turn counter the increasing costs of energy. One example, incorporated from my Bill, is the use of microgenerators which present a real and viable change that we can all make within our own homes, David Cameron, has himself said that he has plans for a wind turbine on his London home, despite the fact that his own MPs seem intent on preventing him from doing that.
'It is now vital that this Bill becomes legislation for all of the reasons outlined above and many more - but also so that the actions of two lone individuals do not have the power to derail an important and much needed Bill which has both government and opposition front-bench backing.'