§ Lord MOLSONMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the maximum and minimum temperatures at which Government offices were kept before the Fuel and Electricity (Heating) (Control) Order 1974 (S.I. 1974/2160) came into force; and what is the reduction in temperature which will result from that Order.
§ Lord MELCHETTMy Lords, the normal temperature for Government offices has been 65° Fahrenheit for several years and this has not been changed as a result of the Fuel and Electricity (Heating) (Control) Order 1974 which restricts heating to a maximum of 68° Fahrenheit.
§ Lord MOLSONMy Lords, are we to understand, then, that the only effect of the Statutory Order was to restrict other people to the temperatures which were in force in Government offices? In view of the statement of the Secretary of State for Energy in the House of Commons yesterday, that he intended to do all that was necessary to increase the saving of energy, will the noble Lord draw to his attention the possibility, and perhaps desirability, of reducing the temparature in Government offices?
§ Lord MELCHETTMy Lords, I do not think the noble Lord fully understood the Answer. The Order restricts the maximum temperature to 68° Fahrenheit. For some years Government offices have been restricted to a maximum of 65°. So the Order was not enforcing on everybody else the maximum in force in Government offices. It was permitting 3° more than that. I think the Government's view would be that there is very limited scope for any further reduction 6 in office temperatures. There needs to be some flexibility in the maximum temperature. For a great number of years 65° Fahrenheit has been found to be a satisfactory temperature in which people can work.
Lord INGLEWOODMy Lords, can the noble Lord say what the saving would be if the temperature in all offices was restricted to 65° Fahrenheit, which surely is warm enough for most of us, especially if we are going to wear a waistcoat?
§ Lord MELCHETTMy Lords, I am afraid that the Government could not provide those figures because we do not know what all temperatures in private offices arc at the moment and therefore cannot say what the reduction would be if all offices were heated at 65°.
§ Lord SEGALMy Lords, can the noble Lord say what is the lowest temperature below which Government offices will not be allowed to fall?
§ Lord MELCHETTMy Lords, the Fuel and Electricity (Heating) (Control) Order, as I say, restricts the maximum to 68° Fahrenheit, and under the Offices, Shops and Railways Premises Act the minimum required is 60.8° Fahrenheit.