Two cross-party committees of MPs have added to the bad news for Ministers, publishing a damning report into the handling of FITs the morning after the court found their actions were unlawful. The Environmental Audit Committee and Energy and Climate Change Committees came together to hold joint hearings into the FITs proposals shortly after Ministers announced them. Their report is available here
The report says Ministers should have seen problems coming much earlier, and made more timely, and less dramatic cuts. It accuses Minister of being “panicky” and “clumsy” and says the actions undermine confidence in energy policy across the board – not just in the solar sector. The report also makes powerful recommendations that over-zealously linking solar installation to energy efficiency requirements could prove “fatal” to the industry by making it impossible for many homes to fit solar at all.
It will be extremely important for these findings to be widely distributed to MPs. It is arguable whether it is best to send them to your MP now (when they are probably just about to pack up for Christmas) or first thing in the New Year – but please make sure you send a letter to them pointing out the strength of the finding and asking what your MP can do to persuade Ministers to think again.
Joint Select Committee report slams Government handling of FITs
Two cross-party committees of MPs have added to the bad news for Ministers, publishing a damning report into the handling of FITs the morning after the court found their actions were unlawful. The Environmental Audit Committee and Energy and Climate Change Committees came together to hold joint hearings into the FITs proposals shortly after Ministers announced them. Their report is available here
The report says Ministers should have seen problems coming much earlier, and made more timely, and less dramatic cuts. It accuses Minister of being “panicky” and “clumsy” and says the actions undermine confidence in energy policy across the board – not just in the solar sector. The report also makes powerful recommendations that over-zealously linking solar installation to energy efficiency requirements could prove “fatal” to the industry by making it impossible for many homes to fit solar at all.
It will be extremely important for these findings to be widely distributed to MPs. It is arguable whether it is best to send them to your MP now (when they are probably just about to pack up for Christmas) or first thing in the New Year – but please make sure you send a letter to them pointing out the strength of the finding and asking what your MP can do to persuade Ministers to think again.