HC Deb 16 April 1975 vol 890 cc425-6
12. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department is taking to encourage the use of domestic central heating systems serving all the houses in one area.

Mr. Kaufman

My Department encourages local authorities to consider the applicability of district heating at an early stage of their thinking about new housing developments. Where the Department is satisfied that the extra capital costs involved in district heating are justified, they are accepted for loan sanction and subsidy purposes.

Mr. Canavan

Is my hon. Friend aware that such systems of domestic central heating contribute not only to making life more comfortable for the occupants of the houses but also to energy conservation? Will he therefore consult the Department of Energy with a view to ensuring that maximum help is given to local authorities to include district central heating in the early stages of their housing planning procedures and also that financial encouragement is given to them to install such systems in existing houses?

Mr. Kaufman

There are two views about the universal popularity of such schemes. A meeting is to take place in my constituency tonight following an out-cry by some of my constituents about the new district heating in my constituency. At the same time, provided that such schemes are well conceived and acceptable to the people who live in the dwellings concerned, there is a great deal to be said for them in terms of energy conservation. As I said, we make subsidies available, and there is further help in general improvement areas. For the kind of extensions which my hon. Friend suggests, further legislation may be necessary, but we shall certainly be ready to consider the entire problem.

Mr. Rost

As two-thirds of the fuel put into our power stations is wasted in the cooling systems, would it not be better for this heat to be used for district heating and other purposes, thereby saving up to £1 billion a year on the balance of payments? Is it not time that we gave more priority to such projects and legislated if necessary?

Mr. Kaufman

We are giving a good deal of priority to them by the subsidy arrangements I have mentioned. If necessary, we shall consider legislation. If we do, I trust that the House and the Conservative Party will facilitate it.