ECA joins ESNZ Committee stakeholder event to set inquiry priorities

ECA’s Head of Public Affairs and Public Relations, Jane Dawson, joined stakeholders and organisations from across the energy and environment sectors to meet MPs last week. The purpose, to help inform the new Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) Committee’s work. 

The engagement event in Parliament gave more than 50 companies and organisations the chance to pitch ideas for parliamentary inquiries to members of the Committee, which is scrutinising the Government’s approach to securing the UK’s energy supply and cutting emissions.

Angus Brendan MacNeil MP, Chair of the ESNZ Committee, said: “The engagement event was an invaluable opportunity to hear differing perspectives from a whole spectrum of organisations on how to meet the challenges of securing our energy supplies while moving towards net zero. Effective scrutiny relies on taking on as wide a range of views as possible and the experience will be vital to the Committee as we set our programme of work and decide on inquiries in the coming weeks and months.” 

ECA was chosen from over 100 submissions to make a pitch to the Committee for an inquiry to review  the historic anomalies in the energy taxation system. Electricity is currently taxed around four times more than gas, despite being the cleaner fuel. Historically, electricity generation relied on fossil fuels, today in the UK almost 50% of electricity is generated from renewable sources. 

Speaking after the speed-dating style event Jane Dawson said:

“It was a high-octane event, but incredibly valuable to talk to so many influential Members of Parliament in such a short space of time. They listened hard and asked insightful questions. Most people agreed with ECA that the outdated electricity taxation system is long overdue for review”. 

The ESNZ Committee was set up following the Government’s decision to establish a new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero as part of changes to the machinery of government. The Committee scrutinises the spending, policies and administration of the government Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. They are not a government committee but a select committee of the House of Commons with a key role in holding ministers to account.

You can find out more about ECA’s work on net zero and its forthcoming Project Net Zero Roadshow here.