ENERGY CONSERVATION REPORTS (Hansard, 17 March 1995)

§ Mr. Robert B. Jones
I beg to move amendment No. 5, in page 2, line 13, leave out 'the authority's policy' and insert 1183 `any policy of the authority'.

§ Madam Deputy Speaker
With this, it will be convenient to discuss also the following amendments: No. 6, in page 2, line 14, leave out from `power' to 'in' in line 15.
No. 7, in page 2, line 16, leave out 'that' and insert `any'.

§ Mr. Jones
These are minor amendments in fulfilment of an undertaking given in Committee. They would make it clear that an energy conservation authority was required to include in its report a statement of any policy it had for taking into account the personal circumstances of any person in deciding whether to exercise any power in connection with the energy conservation measures set out in its report rather than merely a statement of its policy for taking account of personal circumstances in exercising any power to make grants or loans. Clause 2 as it stands requires such a statement only in relation to powers to make grants or loans.
Amendment No. 5 would broaden the language of clause 2(3)(c) to ensure that a report included a statement of any policy that an authority had for taking into account an individual's personal circumstances in deciding whether to exercise any power in connection with energy conservation measures. That is a consequence of broadening the provision to go beyond powers to make grants and loans.
Amendment No. 6 would remove the specific statement of powers to make grants and loans, thus ensuring that the amendment was more wide–ranging, as the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mrs. Maddock) wished.
Amendment No. 7 would further widen the provision to cover the personal circumstances of any person, not just a person to whom a grant or loan was made. Of course, it may be the personal circumstances of someone other than the householder to which an authority would wish to give particular consideration—for example, where a household includes someone with disabilities, or a frail, elderly person.
Energy conservation measures can be particularly important to those with above average heating needs because of age, disability or illness, and I know that many organisations representing such people support the Bill. The HEES programme has always been directed at those with special needs because of low income. I am pleased that it is now available to all aged over 60.
Like other hon. Members, I have received a large volume of correspondence in relation to the Bill—one letter this morning was addressed to me as the Chancellor of the Exchequer—citing the benefits that it will bring, particularly to the elderly. Elderly people can be particularly daunted by the prospect of identifying and arranging for energy-saving measures in their homes, but, as we all know, there may be comparatively simple measures that could be taken that could contribute significantly to their health and comfort.
On a number of occasions during the passage of the Bill, hon. Members referred to their concerns about the effect of cold homes on elderly people. I hope that authorities will look particularly carefully at what they can do to target advice and information to those who most need it, as well as including in their reports appropriate policies for taking personal circumstances into account when exercising their powers in connection with energy efficiency measures.
1184 By requiring a statement of any policy for giving priority to take account of personal circumstances, the amendments will ensure that local authorities address the question of whether to give priority, where their powers permit, even if they have not had such a policy in the past. What the nature of any policy should be will, of course, be a judgment for each authority to make, but requiring a statement of relevant policies in energy conservation reports will ensure that the judgment is out in the open.
I hope that the amendments will ensure that the case for giving priority to those with particular needs, who may in the past have been defined as "fuel poor", is addressed specifically by each energy conservation authority. Resources are, of course, finite and judgments will have to be made as to where they can do most good, but the amendments should ensure that proper consideration is given to the needs of the poor, the elderly, the sick and people with disabilities.
I believe that the amendments will be welcomed by the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms Ruddock) and, indeed, the whole House, and that they meet the concerns that she expressed in Committee. I commend them to the House.

§ Mrs. Maddock
I welcome the amendments. I welcome amendment No. 6 enthusiastically, but am a little unsure as to why in Committee the Minister's original new clause referred only to local authorities' policies for taking personal circumstances into account when dealing with grants and loans, and not in dealing with other aspects of policy, such as education and advice. Indeed, I expressed concern about that in Committee.
I still have a slight worry about amendment No. 5. I have read it a number of times and have concluded that it can be considered as slightly strengthening or slightly weakening the Bill. It is strengthening if one reads it as extending the scope of the statements on policies of local authorities on targeting people on the basis of personal circumstances, but there is always a slight danger, if one reads it another way, that perhaps it is removing the implication that is currently contained in the Bill—that every energy conservation authority should have such a policy. I welcome the Minister's statement about the amendment, as he has clarified a matter about which I was concerned.
It is important that the amendment is not seen by local councils as letting them off the hook on one of the central contents of their reports, which many supporters of the Bill—local councils and many other organisations—were keen to see in it. If and when the Bill is implemented, I hope that local authorities will have clear policies on how they can target the fuel poor, as that is a matter about which many people, including hon. Members and many of the people who came to London yesterday in support of the Bill, feel strongly.
It is important that the Bill is implemented. I hope that the Minister will be strong on these matters.

§ Mr. Fabricant
I welcome the amendment. Hon. Members will be aware that I am keen on glasnost. I would support a freedom of information Act, albeit combined with a privacy Act. The two are not mutually exclusive: one deals with intrusion into people's personal lives for trivial reasons and the other deals with acquiring information that should be in the public domain. 1185 Quite clearly, the purpose of the amendments is to put the policy of the energy conservation authorities into the public domain. As my hon. Friend the Minister has already said, it is one thing to consider the judgments that the energy conservation authorities might make, but quite another to see the basis on which those judgments are made. We can make that kind of analysis only if the amendments are accepted.
It is tremendously important that the personal circumstances of the people who might benefit from the Bill by receiving advice are taken into account. In an earlier debate, reference was made to extending the scope of the Bill to people who live in mobile homes. Many people who live in mobile homes have restricted personal circumstances. Through the exercise of the amendments, we will be able to see the criteria by which energy conservation authorities will consider the problem raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs) and others about the peculiar circumstances of people who live in mobile homes. For that reason, I welcome the amendments.