HC Deb 13 July 1987 vol 119 cc690-1
3. Mr. Forth

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he plans to hold energy efficiency conferences.

The Minister of State, Department of Energy (Mr. Peter Morrison)

I am currently reviewing my Department's plans as to how best I can promote energy efficiency.

Mr. Forth

I welcome my hon. Friend's remarks, but does he agree that the motive for adopting the energy efficiency programmes lies in the savings that can be made, which enlightened management should be able to understand by now? Does my hon. Friend share my suspicions that too many conferences often obscure issues rather than help people to come to rather more obvious conclusions about the benefits of energy efficiency?

Mr. Morrison

I agree with my hon. Friend that savings, profits, the labour force and the customer best promote energy efficiency. At the same time, as I said in my original answer, the Department has had a startling success in the past in making those points and we are looking at how we might make them again in the future.

Mr. Chapman

Does my hon. Friend agree that the design of new buildings, as well as the satisfactory insulation of existing ones, is crucial in encouraging energy efficiency? May I have his assurance that his Department is in regular contact with the Royal Institute of British Architects to promote energy efficiency in new buildings?

Mr. Peter Morrison

I agree with my hon. Friend and, as he will hear in answer to the next question, the design of new buildings is of key importance. If at that stage energy effficiency is taken into account, it avoids many subsequent problems.