Rebels fail get decarbonisation target into Energy Bill

Liberal Democrat and Tory rebels have failed in their attempt to push through a 2030 decarbonisation target amendment as part of the Energy Bill.

The amendment was voted down by 290 votes to 267 this afternoon (4
June).

High profile rebels including former Liberal Democrat president Tim Farron voted for the
amendment but his support was not enough to pass the change.

Tim Yeo, the Conservative chair of the Energy and Climate Change
Committee, tabled the amendment alongside Labour’s Barry Gardiner to
attempt to achieve a decarbonisation target by 1 April 2014.

Under the Energy Bill as it stands, the secretary of state will be able
to set a decarbonisation target for 2030 no earlier than 2016, once the
fifth carbon budget has been agreed.

Yeo told the commons the
amendment would have “materially improved the Energy Bill”. He disputed
fears that setting the decarbonisation target in 2014 would increase energy
bills.

The Labour front bench appeared confident as they left
for the lobby to vote on the amendment, but upon returning to the chamber,
the coalition front bench obviously suspected they had just enough support,
with energy secretary Davey sharing a joke with his former energy minister
John Hayes.

Labour MPs were also annoyed that the government
tried to rush the bill through, being given less than an hour for
additional debate on Monday (3 June).

REA Chief Executive Gaynor
Hartnell said the failure to get the amendment added was “disappointing”.

She added: “Failing to decarbonise our electricity supply
industry will have long term consequences both environmentally and
economically.”