Ian Johnston
The Government’s plan to end on-shore wind subsidies next year was in doubt
after it was defeated in the House of Lords, in a move that could spark
further hostilities between David Cameron and peers.
The Lords backed a Labour amendment deleting a clause in the Energy Bill
that would have ended the renewables obligation in March 2016, a year
earlier than planned.
Shadow energy minister Baroness Worthington had told peers that scrapping
the subsidy would save no more than 30p to each household a year.
Ecotricity, a leading renewable energy firm, has called for the Government
to create a level playing field by also ending fossil fuel subsidies amid
claims the sector will be devastated by the withdrawal of support.
It was unclear whether the Government would seek to reinsert the measure
into the Bill, which would risk delaying the legislation.
Following the defeat, a Department for Energy and Climate Change spokesman
said: “The Government is disappointed that a measure to deliver on our
manifesto commitment to end new subsidies for on-shore wind has been
removed from the Energy Bill.
“Our priority is providing clean, affordable and secure energy that
hard-working families and businesses can rely on.”
Ahead of the vote, Conservative peer Lord Bourne warned his colleagues
against voting down a measure that was a “clear manifesto commitment” by a
democratically elected Government.
“If we really do wish to maintain the traditions of this House and the role
we fulfil, we have to move very carefully in relation to the territory we
are in,” he said.
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