Wind farm subsidies petition

The wind turbines at Scout Moor

MEP Paul Nuttall has lent his support to a national petition calling for a reduction in wind farm subsidies.

The organisers hope to attract the necessary 100,000 signatures for it to be considered for debate in the House of Commons.

"I have happily signed this petition organised by one of my constituents, John Hatt, and hope that it will soon reach the target number of signatures.

"The wind farm industry is a big con which makes money for investors at the expense of our electricity bills. It is not, and never will be, a cost effective way of producing energy and meanwhile our countryside and seas are being blighted in a headlong rush to meet ridiculous EU targets," said Mr Nuttall, UKIP North West Euro MP.

"If subsidies for wind farms were significantly cut we would soon see the applications for them dramatically drop. As the petition states increases in electricity punishes the six million people already in fuel poverty, restricts economic growth and makes British industry less competitive.

"Climate-change policies have already increased household electricity by at least 14%, and have increased the electricity bills of business by at least 20% and these tariffs are forecast to escalate.

"The UK already has the third highest energy prices for a major economy, after Italy & Japan, and the highest “green” cost component. We obviously need to plans to meet our energy needs but these should involve shale gas and nuclear power not useless wind farms," said Mr Nuttall, UKIP Deputy Leader.

The address for the petition is http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22704