Conservative MP calls for no cuts to carbon funding

Tim Yeo, Chair of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, has warned the government against reducing spending on low-carbon technology, The Guardian has reported.

The former Minister for the Environment and Countryside in John Major's government states he is speaking out on behalf of environmentalists after indications that the government will slim down commitments to sustainable technology in the comprehensive spending review.

Yeo also shows concern that upfront funding for clean coal technology will be delayed or worse, money for an upgrade of north-eastern ports needed for the establishment of large wind farms is unlikely to be secured, the Carbon Trust and the Energy Saving Trust will be scrapped and funding for feed-in tariffs and renewable heat incentives will be reduced.

He warns any change to these mechanisms will see the UK's renewables sector will become too unpredictable to survive and states that the government should instead be looking to increase spending.

The MP suggests there are other departments whose budgets should be plundered to safeguard the Department of Energy and Climate Change, but is concerned that since the deal struck by them excludes 'nuclear and coal legacy costs' as much as 40 per cent of the department's budgets.

Further information:
The Guardian