HL Deb 17 December 1973 vol 348 cc3-5

2.38 p.m.

VISCOUNT HANWORTH

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether in view of the energy situation they have considered making grants for the improvement of heat insulation in existing houses.

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT (BARONESS YOUNG)

My Lords, thermal insulation of older dwellings may already be grant-aided, at the discretion of a local authority, as part of a full scheme of improvement to bring dwellings up to the normal standard. Powers also exist under which local authorities may make loans for work of this nature.

VISCOUNT HANWORTH

My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Baroness for that Answer. Can she assure me that in view of the gravity of the present crisis the possibility of making these grants and the importance of making them will be stressed to those concerned? Does the noble Baroness realise that one-third of our energy consumption is in the domestic sector, and although this is not all for space heating a substantial portion of it is; therefore the savings which can be made in this direction are quite substantial and amount to about 30 per cent, for roof insulation alone?

BARONESS YOUNG

Yes, my Lords, the Government accept the importance of thermal insulation but we feel that the onus must properly rest on individual owners. It is at the discretion of a local authority whether or not a grant is given for this particular matter.

VISCOUNT HANWORTH

My Lords, may I press the noble Baroness to see whether she can take steps to bring this matter to the attention of owners? For example, this could conveniently be made clear in a notice sent out with the rates or by some other means. Does the noble Baroness realise how many of these benefits are not appreciated by those who might use them?

BARONESS YOUNG

My Lords, I will draw the attention of my right honourable friend the Minister for Housing and Construction to the suggestions that the noble Viscount has made.

LORD GREENWOOD OF ROSSENDALE

My Lords, further to the noble Viscount's question, may I, as President of the District Heating Association, ask the noble Baroness what progress is being made by the Government in the preparation of legislation which would facilitate the provision by local authorities of district heating, which has a big part to play in this field?

BARONESS YOUNG

My Lords, that is rather wide of the Question that has been asked. Under the proposed Planning and Housing Bill which will come to the House later this Session there will be provisions concerning the improvement of property, and this would be included as one of them.

LORD LEATHERLAND

My Lords, reverting to the original Question, may I ask a very naïve question, purely with the intention of eliciting information? Are those grants available only to what I shall call "sub-standard houses", those that need a bath and W.C., et cetera, or are they available to houses of all kinds?

BARONESS YOUNG

My Lords, discretionary improvement grants are given to a house which is then expected to have a life of 30 years. It can also be given to a house that is lacking one of the five basic standard amenities. But loans are also available at the discretion of local authorities to people who wish to put in thermal insulation.

LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORD

My Lords, would my noble friend say whether this noble but extremely draughty building qualifies for a grant?

BARONESS YOUNG

My Lords, I have no complaints about this building at all.

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: Oh!

BARONESS STOCKS

My Lords, could special consideration be given to the flats, the tower blocks, in Newham? A little while ago one of them fell down following a small gas explosion, and as a result the flats have become all-electric for cooking, lifts, lighting and everything. When one considers what would happen to them during a blackout it is rather terrifying.

BARONESS YOUNG

My Lords, I will note what the noble Baroness has said.

LORD THOMAS

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that the heat loss in the average house can be very much reduced by stuffing crumpled newspapers up chimneys where fires are no longer used? It also reduces the noise pollution from passing aircraft.

BARONESS YOUNG

My Lords, I am sure we are all grateful for the suggestion of the noble Lord.