Osborne in standoff over coalition's green energy plans

[Aurora]

The Guardian - 14/07/12

Treasury in dispute with Tory-led select committee over efforts to encourage private sector to fund cleaner energy.

Article continues ...

[biffvernon]

In an extraordinary standoff, the Treasury has refused to send a minister to answer the concerns of the cross-party energy and climate change select committee – prompting a furious response from the committee's Tory chair, Tim Yeo. Further riling the body, which has been asked by ministers to scrutinise the draft energy bill for parliament, the junior Treasury minister, Chloe Smith, has subsequently even refused to answer a series of written questions, which MPs believe must be addressed if the plans to reform the electricity market are to become workable.

That's the same Chloe Smith that we saw being shredded by Paxman a couple of weeks ago. Our energy future in her hands?