Sir Oliver Heald, MP for North East Hertfordshire, has written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review and Budget due this autumn in support of several measures to tackle climate change and restore nature as part of a green economic recovery from coronavirus. 

“The UK has a world-leading record on reducing emissions, but we know that we must do more to prevent the worst consequences of climate change and to stop the loss of our wildlife. That’s why I’ve written to the government calling for a series of policies that will help us to build back better. This autumn the Chancellor will be announcing many measures to kickstart the economy as we recover from coronavirus, and I’ve urged him to prioritise measures that will support clean, green industries across the country, helping us to meet our environmental goals while creating sustainable, secure jobs,” commented Sir Oliver.

Research from the Local Government Association estimates that over 5,000 local jobs will be created by 2050 across North and East Hertfordshire in low carbon and renewable energy sectors as part of our national mission to reach net zero. A recent study by Oxford University, which included a survey of G20 finance ministers and central bank officials, also showed that green investments could offer the best long-term economic returns for government spending in comparison to normal fiscal stimulus options. 

The MP’s submission included ideas such as:

• Providing long-term and significantly increased funding for active travel and public transport infrastructure, to build on recent funding commitments to further help tackle air pollution.
• Funding the skills required for net zero and to repair our relationship with nature, by launching a Net Zero Skills Review to help equip young people with the necessary skills for the future low carbon jobs market.
• Providing long-term funding for energy efficiency retrofits that unlocks private finance, building on the Green Homes Grant which opens for applicants in October.

NOTE TO EDITORS

Sir Oliver Heald MP wrote to the Chancellor alongside other members of the Conservative Environment Network (CEN) Parliamentary Caucus. CEN is the independent forum for conservatives who support decarbonisation and conservation. Find out more: https://www.cen.uk.com/our-caucus

A Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) is a key part of the government’s budgeting framework enabling them to set out their spending priorities over multiple years (usually around three years), including funding for departments so that they can plan ahead. The Chancellor has outlined the priorities for this CSR including the investment in technologies ‘that will support the government’s ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050’.