§ 24. Mr. Formanasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied with the progress made by the Government on their energy conservation policy.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Energy (Mr. Alick Buchanan-Smith)Whilst never satisfied, we are pleased with the considerable progress being made.
§ Mr. FormanHow much of the progress that has been made under the present Government in energy conservation is attributable to the effects of the international economic recession? Is my right hon. Friend confident that we are matching the best conservation policies of our EEC partners?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI am not totally satisfied with progress. However, it is significant that, particularly as a result of the campaign launched by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the meetings that he and others 636 of my right hon. and hon. Friends have had, we have taken the energy conservation message to a far wider audience in industry than ever before. The follow-up to those meetings, and the action being taken in industry, shows that our initiative is being watched very closely.