HC Deb 28 March 1983 vol 40 c16
19. Mr. Proctor

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many officials in his Department are concerned primarily with energy efficiency.

Mr. Gray

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 17 March 1983 to the hon. Member for Kilmarnock (Mr. McKelvey).

Mr. Proctor

Will the officials in the Department of Energy consider working out an energy conservation scheme for industries such as the paper and board industry and other industries that are heavy users of energy?

Mr. Gray

Special treatment within the conservation scheme is subject to scrutiny by those who are examining the policy. I can give my hon. Friend the assurance that we will certainly look carefully at the requirements of the various industries concerned with energy conservation.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

As supply side energy schemes, such as the construction of the national grid in the 1930s, put hundreds of thousands of people back to work in Britain, why do not the Government adopt a demand side energy scheme based on a national programme of energy conservation, thereby putting 100,000 people back to work in the way put forward by the group of eight representing the construction industry in evidence to the Select Committee on Energy?

Mr. Gray

The hon. Gentleman must bear in mind that the potential for providing employment by the spending of similar amounts of money in other ways must always be considered. The hon. Gentleman's suggestion might not compare favourably with ideas in other areas.