Firms urge Osborne “reconsider zero carbon homes”

More than 200 businesses have urged the Chancellor to reconsider the government’s decision to end the zero carbon homes policy. In the “Fixing the Foundations” plan, George Osborne axed the policy which was designed to ensure all new homes built from 2016 would meet zero carbon standards. Mr Osborne also terminated a sister policy which applied to all […]

Green energy subsidies ‘spiral out of control’

George Osborne is expected to abolish the green tax target, in Wednesday’s budget as customers face paying £1.5billion more through their bills to subsidise wind farms, solar panels and biomass plants. The cost of subsidising new wind farms is “spiralling out of control”, government sources have privately warned. Officials admitted so-called “green” energy schemes will […]

DECC budget cut by £70m

The budget of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) will be reduced by £70 million for the 2015/16 financial year. Chancellor George Osborne made the announcement yesterday as part of the UK Government’s plans to reduce debt. The Treasury revealed plans to save £3 billion in total across different departments. The Department of Business, […]

Osborne slammed for ‘barren’ energy efficiency Budget

Chancellor George Osborne has been slammed for not including measures to encourage energy efficiency in his 2015 Budget announcement. The UK Green Building Council (GBC) said that while the Chancellor’s backing of the world’s first tidal lagoon project shows the government’s commitment to the green agenda, it is an “otherwise barren Budget” for energy efficiency. […]

Editorial – Budget is black with no sign of green

He’s had his hair makeover. He’s got his new suit. And he’s delivered his final budget. For someone considered oily by some, George Osborne showed more than a tad of liquidity in his budget today when it came to energy. The end of the “greenest government ever” was well and truly signalled by the announcement […]

Budget 2015: Osborne cuts tax for North Sea oil

  Chancellor George Osborne guaranteed tax relief for North Sea oil and gas companies as part of his 2015 Budget announcement today. He confirmed the so-called Supplementary Charge would be reduced from 30% to 20% with immediate effect and would introduce an allowance aimed at boosting investments that have dropped as a result of falling […]

Osborne’s letter to speed fracking attracts criticism

A leaked letter penned by Chancellor George Osborne asking colleagues to speed up fracking in the UK was condemned today. In the letter dated 24 September 2014, the Chancellor wrote he expects “to see rapid progress on the following recommendations… a clear time table to implement the development of 3-4 exemplar drilling sites to prove […]

Osborne warns suppliers, airlines on oil price

[View the story “Osborne warns on fuel prices” on Storify]

Osborne cuts tax for oil and gas

Chancellor George Osborne has given the oil and gas industry a tax boost in today’s Autumn Statement. In a speech devoid of much energy content, Mr Osborne announced a 2% cut in tax from the new year to encourage investment and boost production in the North Sea. The so called “Supplementary Charge reduction” which falls […]

Blog: True Blue tick-boxing from Tory Energy Minister

For a man who boasted about ditching tick-box regulation for business, Matthew Hancock’s Tory conference speech was very much a tick-box exercise when it came to energy. The Business and Energy Minister proudly promoted the 3,000 regulations which “have been reversed or reformed by this Government”. (Let’s not forget some of these were as dated […]