Energy Bill — Emissions performance standard — rejected — 24 Feb 2010 at 18:00

The majority of MPs voted against restrictions on the amount of carbon dioxide electricity generation plants are permitted to emit.

The majority of MPs narrowly voted (with a 27 MP Labour rebellion) against adding a new clause to the Energy Bill in the during its the Report Stage in the House of Commons. This "New Clause 15" said:

  • The Secretary of State may introduce an Emissions Performance Standard to apply to new electricity generation plants to restrict the amount of carbon dioxide that they can emit.
  • In setting this standard he must take account of: the most up-to-date scientific knowledge about climate change, the advice of the Committee on Climate Change, the affordability of electricity prices for consumers, and national energy security.
  • The proposals must be set out within six months, with the final proposals before Parliament within 12 months.

The debate for this "New Clause 15", beginning with Alan Simpson's speech is here.

During the Parliamentary debate, MPs discussed a story in the Guardian (Tory MPs threaten to send green image up in smoke with emissions vote) that alleged that, while the Conservative Party was intending to vote for the Emissions Performance Standard, it was by a "one-line-whip", meaning that if they didn't like the measure they didn't have to vote, probably forgoing a chance to overturn the Government majority. (This is as opposed to a "three-line-whip", which says that their party expects them to shot up and vote.) This was denied, and an 80% turnout by Tory MPs is above average.

Debate in Parliament | Source |

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Party Summary

Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.

What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.

What are Boths? An MP can vote both aye and no in the same division. The boths page explains this.

What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.

PartyMajority (No)Minority (Aye)BothTurnout
Con0 152 (+1 tell)079.3%
DUP0 4050.0%
Independent1 4083.3%
Lab251 (+2 tell) 26 (+1 tell)080.2%
LDem0 50079.4%
PC0 30100.0%
Respect0 10100.0%
SNP0 4057.1%
Total:252 244079.4%

Rebel Voters - sorted by party

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party. You can see all votes in this division, or every eligible MP who could have voted in this division

Sort by: Name | Constituency | Party | Vote

NameConstituencyPartyVote
John AustinErith and ThamesmeadLab (minister)aye
Colin BurgonElmetLabaye
Ronnie CampbellBlyth ValleyLabaye
Katy ClarkNorth Ayrshire and ArranLab (minister)aye
Frank CookStockton NorthLab (minister)aye
Jeremy CorbynIslington NorthLabaye
Jim CousinsNewcastle upon Tyne CentralLab (minister)aye
Jon CruddasDagenhamLabaye
Frank DobsonHolborn and St PancrasLabaye
David DrewStroudLab (minister)aye
Paul FarrellyNewcastle-under-LymeLab (minister)aye
Frank FieldBirkenheadLab (minister)aye
Paul FlynnNewport WestLab (minister)aye
Neil GerrardWalthamstowLab (minister)aye
Patrick HallBedfordLab (minister)aye
Kate HoeyVauxhallLab (minister)aye
Kelvin HopkinsLuton NorthLab (minister)tellaye
Glenda JacksonHampstead and HighgateLabaye
Lynne JonesBirmingham, Selly OakLab (minister)aye
John Martin McDonnellHayes and HarlingtonLabaye
Doug NaysmithBristol North WestLab (minister)aye
Nick PalmerBroxtoweLab (minister)aye
Gordon PrenticePendleLab (minister)aye
Linda RiordanHalifaxLab (minister)aye
Alan SimpsonNottingham SouthLabaye
Andrew SmithOxford EastLabaye
Gavin StrangEdinburgh EastLab (minister)aye

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