Environment Secretary and energy experts face peers’ questions on UK-EU deal

That is one of the likely questions for Environment Secretary George Eustice when the House of Lords EU Environment Sub-Committee continues its latest  inquiry - Future UK-EU relations: energy, environment and health – with questions to the minister and energy industry representatives and experts tomorrow (Wednesday 3 February from 9.45 a.m.).

The sub-committee will hear from:

At 9.45 a.m.

• Emma Pinchbeck, Chief Executive, Energy UK
• Paul Dawson, Board Member, European Federation of Energy Traders
• Matt Hinde, Head of EU Affairs, National Grid
• Josh Burke, Senior Policy Fellow, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment

Likely questions and topics for discussion include:

• What are the implications of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement for the UK’s security of energy supply, costs for consumers, and decarbonisation?
• Are there ways that the Government can provide the certainty required to invest in energy infrastructure?
• What should the Government’s priorities be in any negotiations with the EU on linking emissions trading systems?
• Are the channels for technical cooperation with the EU on energy sufficient and does the Agreement allow for the future development of UK energy and climate policy?

At 11:00 a.m.

• Rt Hon George Eustice, Secretary of State, Defra
• Dr Sarah Swash, Deputy Director of Environmental Regulations, Defra
• Mark Thompson, Deputy Director, EU Strategy and Negotiations, Defra

Other possible questions for the minister include:

• What are your ambitions for the UK fishing industry after the five year adjustment period?
• When do you expect to see fish exports from the UK flowing freely to the EU again?
• What steps are you taking to ensure a continued supply of food from Great Britain to Northern Ireland after the grace periods?
• How will the Government ensure that new domestic policy measures don’t fall foul of the environment and climate non-regression provision?

The evidence session will be live on Parliament TV.