Labour Leader Challenges Solar-Feed-In-Tariff Cuts

Labour party leader Ed Miliband has called for the government to rethink plans for solar Feed-In Tariffs (FiT).

Miliband has tabled a motion for parliamentary debate on the proposed 70% cuts to the FiT scheme's payments for energy generated through solar panels over 50kW.

The cuts will effectively end the UK industry beyond the domestic sector, critics of the proposals have said, just as other major EU economies plan a massive increase in solar installations to meet the rising demand for electricity that is expected by 2020.

Shadow energy minister Huw Irranca-Davies said: "Minister Greg Barker's decision to go ahead with the proposed dramatic Feed-In Tariff reductions for community, school and hospital schemes is a big blow to British industry and betrays the government's promise to be 'the greenest government ever'."