§ 4. Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the policy objectives of the Energy Efficiency Office.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe objectives of the Energy Efficiency Office are to encourage increased efficiency in energy use; to help all consumers to get better value for money from the energy they consume, and to increase industrial and commercial competitiveness.
§ Mr. RostDoes my right hon. Friend agree that one measure of success ought to be the effectiveness of the energy efficiency industries, which are now working at well below capacity? Will he brief himself on the recent meeting between the Energy Efficiency Office and the Structural Insulation Association, at which weaknesses in the working of the Homes Insulation Act 1978 and inadequacies in the building regulations were pointed out?
§ Mr. WalkerWe are very carefully studying the results of that meeting. I am pleased to say that for the coming year there will be a substantial increase in the provision of grants for home insulation. I hope that full advantage will be taken of this. In all spheres, industrial and domestic, we are encouraged by the very considerable increase in activity over the past few months.
§ Mr. OrmeWhat discussions has the Secretary of State had with the Secretary of State for the Environment to enable financial guidelines to be given concerning insulation work for housing?
§ Mr. WalkerI am delighted to say that in one or two places where there were snags in the last few months of this financial year, as a result of overspending of capital allocations, it has been possible to have allocations of more than double for next year.