Summary: Transport Secretary Grant Shapps emphasizes the importance of issuing 100 new oil and gas licenses this autumn. Shapps warns that without these licenses, the UK would have to rely on higher-emission fossil fuel imports, leading to increased carbon emissions. The government aims to support the oil and gas industry, preserve jobs, and maintain tax revenue through the issuance of these licenses. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has emphasized the significance of issuing 1...

Emergency coal power used for Britain's coldest night of the year As the coldest night of the year approaches, Britain is shivering. Arctic air dropping down from the north and set to stay for days. It's putting pressure on our electricity system, the national grid, for the first time this winter, activating emergency coal units that have been standing by in case of a shortage. The challenge we often face on very cold days is getting through the short but intense period of demand as everyone gets home from work and school. That's millions of households putting the kettle on, turning the heating up and making an evening meal all at the same time. When it's windy, we usually make more than enough power to cover that, but right now it's relatively still. Imports from Europe via subsea connectors can also help, but France, a major partner, has had limited supplies beca...

SNP leadership candidates' energy policies laid out at hustings I think, certainly if I'm the leader for a future Scotland round, I don't think we should just lease, I think we should take an equity stake so that actually if companies are benefiting then that benefit, that profit is coming to us. So I will instruct for the next round at an equity stake in our renewables and I think there's also an advantage of having why do we not have a national renewable energy company? I think we should and that's something that I think again would help to make sure that the benefit of that amazing potential that we've got of renewables is not kept in the hands of profitable companies but shared with the people. Well the disgrace that Scotland is, one of the few countries that found oil and got poorer and that is why our kids are in poverty today and the lessons there are cl...

Ofgem energy price cap falls - but average household bills still expected to rise The energy watchdog has reduced the energy price cap to £3,280 effective from 1 April. It's currently £4,270. Despite this, bills are still expected to rise by 20% because the Government's energy price guarantee, which caps House or bills at £2,500 annually, will rise to £3,000. The Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, is facing calls from opposition parties to keep the support at the current level in his spring budget next month. Let's get more on that, should we? And Goprit is here with us. So the ceiling's come down, but our bills are still going to go up. Yeah, it's a bit complicated. But when you add up all the numbers, actually the result is that households and businesses are worse off as a result of it. So this should be good news. Of jam set, something called the energy price cap. It li...