Big Climate Connection met with Mary Macleod

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Broadly supportive of greener solutions

As part of the Big Climate Connection, organised by Stop Climate Chaos, a small group– Maggie Thorburn and Virginia Fassnidge representing Friends of the Earth, Diane Scott and Paul Lane of Greenpeace and Ruth Mayorcas – met with Mary Macleod MP for Brentford and Isleworth at her Hounslow surgery on Friday 5th November.

Mary was presented with a booklet from the Campaign against Climate Change trade union group: ‘One million climate jobs.’ Because of the HACAN connection in the group, Mary began by assuring us that the government has extended the continuation of runway alternation for flight take offs. The Coalition Government has also stopped the expansion of Heathrow Airport by blocking attempts to build a third runway.

She listened with interest to concerns about the need to provide greater insulation in homes, and stated that people aged 70 or more and younger people on benefits such as pension credit, income support, council tax benefit, or disability living allowance will soon be able to get their loft or cavity walls insulated free.  Mary thought that it was worth considering linking grants to help provide insulation to pensionable age.

She also agreed that EPC certificates should be provided for all rented properties, so that tenants can chose properties above Band F & G.

She was broadly supportive of greener solutions to the UK’s energy problems, including electricity generation, and the Government has committed to introducing an Emissions Performance Standard (EPS).  She confirmed that the Government’s consultation on a radical reform of the electricity market to deliver secure, affordable and low-carbon energy will be out within 6 months of election while a white paper will be published within a year.

Mary is active in International affairs, having recently visited China, in relation to Democracy and Human Rights, and Mozambique, looking at how the UK can ensure that this country becomes more economically self sufficient. Although this is currently to be brought about by boosting trade, she supported the idea of helping developing countries to develop in a low carbon manner by the establishment of a common climate fund.

She has written to the Secretary of State for International Development about the issues we had raised.

 

November 18, 2010