A group of politicians from across Hull and East Yorkshire have come together to urge government ministers to “not take their eyes off the ball” as a number of local energy sites face closure.
Two East Yorkshire MPs, Charlie Dewhirst and Graham Stuart, have joined with Hull and East Yorkshire Mayor Luke Campbell and the leaders of both Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, to write to Ed Miliband, the Energy Security & Net Zero Secretary, and Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds.
In the letter, they say “the Government must do more” to prevent the closures of the Vivergo Fuels bioethanol plant at Saltend and the Lindsey Oil Refinery in North Lincolnshire.
Vivergo Fuels’ concerns stem from the US-UK trade deal which included the removal of the 19 per cent tariff on US bioethanol coming into the UK. They say this will make it impossible for British firms to compete with the cheaper, less regulated US imports. Numerous key figures from the region have expressed their support for Vivergo as they continue to campaign for direct Government intervention to save their industry. A petition has also been launched to ‘Save the Vivergo Plant.’
The politicians’ letter claims that, by endangering the British bioethanol industry, the trade deal threatens more than 4,250 jobs directly and through supply chains.
The letter also addresses the Lindsey Oil Refinery in North Lincolnshire, the owners of which recently entered administration, putting more than 400 jobs at risk. The politicians say: “The resulting price volatility from this loss of supply would hit all our commercial road transport and private motorists, it would mean the UK has lost almost 25 per cent of its total refining capacity since the start of the year.”
The letter concludes: “Our existing energy sector must be supported through policy, and financially where required, in a similar way to other industries. The near – and long-term effects of allowing closures would reverberate far and wide across the UK economy and our population.
“It would be a direct and devastating hit to jobs, opportunity and potential for growth in our region. That’s why we are asking you for an urgent meeting with us, as elected representatives of Hull and East Yorkshire, so that together we can address how to protect these crucial sectors”
In response to Vivergo’s announcement that the plant may face a September closure, a Government spokesperson said: “We recognise this is a concerning time for workers and their families and it is disappointing to see this announcement after we entered into negotiations with the company on financial support last month.
“We will continue to take proactive steps to address the long-standing challenges the company faces and remain committed to working closely with them throughout this period to present a plan for a way forward that protects supply chains, jobs and livelihoods.”
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
