Energy Debate in the Commons this afternoon - trying to get in to speak

Around 4.15 there will be an energy debate. There is much to discuss. Clearly the biggest concern for residents in Northumberland is the increase in the oil price due to Middle Eastern instability - this will mean more costly fuel, gas and heating oil for locals.
Fuiller details of the worsening situation in Iraq is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-27897648

My Fuel Poverty Video: with Turn To Us

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvPpd1PoXiE

The Weekend Read: Iran is the good news story of 2014

Iran as a working friend, and not as an active enemy, is the key to Middle Eastern Peace.
Last week, the very fact that the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was in Davos, at the world economic forum, and saying Iran was open for business, was the most important world story for a very long time. It's the first time in ten years that an Iranian president has attended the World Economic Forum and he came with a message: Iran is ready to engage with the rest of the world, and he wants his country to become one of the ten global economies. It is also very good news for greater peace and a resolution of conflict in the Middle East.

Mr Rouhani said he intended to remove “all political and economic impediments to growth” in Iran and that one of his priorities was “constructive engagement” with the world, including through the use of its oil and gas reserves. “Only through co-operation and engagement can we provide a better life for our people and make peace sustainable,” he said.

For its part, Iran intends to “reopen trade, industrial and economic relations with all of our neighbours”, he said, identifying Turkey, Iraq, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the states of the Gulf and Central Asia.

Clearly the presence of Iran back in to the fold of oil producing countries that we can do business with would have a seriously good positive impact on the price of oil - and more importantly the cost of energy and petrol - that we in Northumberland, and the wider west, consume.
It is clear that business leaders from all over the world are beginning to go to Tehran in the coming months. Again this is a potential new market for British Exporters who are keen to sell their wares.
This potential for new business for Irtan is linked to its decision to back off its possible nuclear programme, and its decision to engage with the west and not seek out confrontation. It is the most important sea change in world affairs for a very long time, and very good news. It is also clear that Rouhani will have a huge impact on the Syrian conflict, as his more recent pronouncements have shown.
For a fuller report on his speech and approach at Davos, the Guardian have the following view:  http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/23/davos-iran-ready-engage-world-rouhani

Westminster this week

The Crime, Anti Social Behaviour and Policing Bill is up for debate for 2 days on Monday & Tuesday in the Commons. I will be helping in this Bill, but have a variety of key meetings as well:
- I am the chair of the All Party Group for Air Ambulances, and we have a meeting this Tuesday,
- I also have key constituency calls to action by phone, notably with Northumbria Police officers on a couple of ongoing cases in Hexham and Haltwhistle,
- I hope to be meeting key representatives of BT on Wednesday, where I will be raising local phone failures we have suffered in parts of Tynedale, particularly Hedley, where the campaign goes on for a better service.
- I have question 9 on fuel poverty and credit unions at 11.30 in the Commons on Wednesday and will be hoping to catch the Speakers eye at PMQs
- there are also a number of other smaller debates I will keep an eye on

Thursday I really hope to be slipped to come north, albeit the House is still sitting, where I have a number of appointments and meetings on Thursday, Friday and all day Saturday. The EGGER academy opening is the key event on Friday. The evening diary is yet to be confirmed but I know I have appointments / events on Thursday and Friday. With a little bit of luck I might make the pub quiz in one of my local pubs down the road on Friday night.

Warm Up North - if you are worried about your heating bills read page 11 of the Hexham Courant

The cost of heating is a key issue for us in Northumberland. I speak more on fuel poverty in the House of Commons than pretty much any MP, having inherited an area with up to 20% fuel poverty. We have significant numbers of residents who are off grid, and many seeking practical ways to lessen their energy and heating bills. So I am really pleased to support the work of the Warm Up North team who are providing real assistance to local residents, whether they are in the private homes or rental sector.  This scheme is backed by all of of our local authorities, and Northumberland is leading the way.
Warm Up North is the largest and most advanced regional response to the governments Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (the ECO). These measures are part of our efforts to provide practical local help to local people. This service is a genuinely good initiative and full credit to Northumberland County council for what they are doing.
There is a phone number, which itself is free, to call to make inquiries to see how you can cut your heating bills, both in the short and long term.
The number is 0800 294 8073
The courant this week has a full page advert at page 11 which I urge all to read. I will try and put the link up when it goes online.

The potential measures / assistance that is easily available includes:
- advice in how to switch energy provider if you are on electric
- tackling your home's energy efficiency. Did you know that insulation of your roof alone would save you on an average house up to £200 a year? Then there is cavity wall insulation and pipe covering to consider.
- a range of alternative heating solutions which get you out of the heating oil / LPG problems. Many people locally are now switching to cheaper solid fuel or green energy in its various forms. The most popular solid fuel is bio mass fuel logs, but there are plenty of firewood providers. There is no question that these fuel stoves are cheaper than heating oil and the other sources of heat, hence why many businesses and homes are converting.
I had the chance to raise this in the House this week, when we had a short debate on heating and energy. I was pleased to be able to support the Centre for Green Energy, a business which I visited, and helped open their new showroom in Anick Road, Hexham, in the summer.

Guy Opperman (Hexham, Conservative)

Does the Minister agree that the energy policy is being affected by green deal funding and the domestic renewable heat incentive programme, which, certainly in Northumberland, has had tremendous take-up? Businesses such as the Centre for Green Energy in my constituency are expanding because of that policy.

Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks, Conservative)

"I am glad to hear the good news from Hexham, because it is important to understand that those programmes are now up and running, and helping homes and businesses."

The full debate is here. It was secured by the very left wing MP for Glasgow North West, who was anxious to showcase Ed's gimmick, but who correctly identifies that all our communities are struggling with energy costs.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2013-10-09a.79.0&s=speaker%3A24962#g85.3

If you have not reviewed your hearing bills and how you can address them then there is masses of help available and I urge you to do so. 

OFT urged to have a British investigation into oil price fixing

I was in an official meeting yesterday morning so I could not join my colleagues led by Rob Halfon, MP, who went to the Office of Fair Trading to lead a protest group alongside Quentin Wilson, FairfuelUK and the Independent Fuel Retailers Association, to present a petition with over 30,000 signatures, calling for a proper British-led investigation into oil price fixing. Regulators in Europe and America are now actively investigating oil price manipulation, yet it is a struggle to persuade the independent OFT to conduct an investigation here.

Oil Buying Groups, the Office of Fair Trading Report, and the involvement of WHICH.

On Wednesday in Westminster the message was clear: Remote Communities need special attention. The OFT were in Westminster, where they gave a taster of their upcoming report into Remote Communities - which featured Hexham and the Upper North Tyne so significantly. Publication is expected in a month. It will look not just at fuel but at all aspects of rural living, including access to public and other services.
Separately, I recently received a helpful report by Mike Murray, who runs the North Tyne valley oil buying group.
His report is fascinating:

"You probably know that there are now six groups in this area (at Allendale, Hamsterley, Haydon Bridge, Humshaugh, in the North Tyne valley and at Slaley.) The groups probably have 700 or 800 members. Members are mainly householders. But a number of farmers, churches and village halls, a pub and several SMEs are members. It is likely that several thousand people now benefit from the work of the buying groups. Each group has a co-ordinator. The co-ordinators stay in touch and have recently been able to consolidate monthly orders. Last week the group at Humshaugh ordered some 18 500 litres. Earlier this week the remaining groups ordered some 90 000 litres. In the past four months we have taken our business to three different suppliers. In addition to the six groups there are three potential groups in the area. I called on a potential group at Scots Gap earlier in the week. And I have been exchanging messages with a potential group at Capheaton. These two potential groups are now in touch and will, I think, see if it may be wise to work as a single group. I am off to Haltwhistle next week to talk to a potential group there. Any new group in the area would be welcome to consolidate orders."

I cannot praise the work of these pioneers of people power highly enough. To watch their enthusiasm and work to battle the iniquity that is fuel poverty [which is 24% in the North East] is very impressive.

The effect of this consumer led revolution is not lost on the wider world and I am pleased to say that I have been working with the magazine "WHICH", who are also behind the Big Switch campaign, to see if we can share good ideas and both spread the message on oil buying to a global audience, whilst also tackling an attempt at a larger purchase of electricity supply - which seems a natural extension and expansion of the oil buying groups efforts. These plans have been delayed by the demands of day job, but I am resolved to tackle the work with WHICH very shortly and will report back.

DECC Select Committee evidence of Mike Murray and Lauren Langton

Mike and Lauren in my shared office in Westminster. They came to parliament and told the DECC Select Committee what was really happening to customers needing LPG and heating oil.
The full transcript of their, and others witnesses, evidence that morning is set out in this link:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmenergy/uc1744-i/uc174401.htm
Tomorrow I have a meeting with the Office of Fair Trading and will be pushing them, and the Business department, to conduct a proper investigation into competition, pricing and availability of heating oil and LPG.