Palace of Westminster: Energy Efficiency (Hansard, 21 February 1989)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Hesketh)
My Lords, the Government are fully committed to undertaking energy conservation measures when fulfilling their responsibilities for works, services and maintenance at the Palace of Westminster. Much work has already been done.
In addition, consultants were appointed last year by the Parliamentary Works Office to undertake an energy audit of the Palace. Their final report, which will show that there is scope to make further savings, is due this month.

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer, bearing in mind that the Department of Energy is quite rightly conducting a considerable advertising campaign on energy saving. Can he tell us what the expected cash savings will be in the Palace of Westminster as a result of this work? What does he expect this year and what does he expect when the report and the final arrangements are complete?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, when the survey is complete we believe that the report will indicate that there will be savings of some £200,000 per annum initially and, subject to various capital investments, a potential saving of some £500,000, but that very much depends on various other changes that will have to be made which may or may not be acceptable. Until we have the final report that expectation is slightly speculative.

§ Baroness Nicol
My Lords, is the Minister aware that the fitting of compact fluorescent lamps in the Palace of Westminster would reduce the energy consumption of lighting to one tenth of its present level? Does he realise that such a course would not only save energy but, because those lamps last five times as long as normal bulbs, the saving in maintenance would be very great also? It does not need a consultancy firm to tell the noble Lord that.

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, the survey will be very widespread. I shall certainly convey the noble Baroness's information concerning the type of bulb to the relevant authorities.

§ Baroness Seear
My Lords, is there any hope that the survey will lead to the Chamber being less abominably stuffy late at night?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, one of the difficulties about the Palace of Westminster is its unique shape and design. There are problems in that unlike an ordinary building the engineers have to warm it up in anticipation and vice versa to cool it down in anticipation. Sometimes if there is more hot air generated—

Noble Lords
Oh!

§ Lord Hesketh
—for example, at the State Opening of Parliament, by having a substantial number of people in the building and it is a particularly cold day when the engineers have anticipated slightly warmer weather, the result would be a complaint either about over-heating or about being too cool.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, if the Government are supportive of energy efficiency, why have they reduced the funding of the Energy Efficiency Unit from £24 million in 1987 to £15 million in 1988?

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, I believe that the money has been redirected.

§ Lord Craigton
My Lords, is my noble friend aware—and I expect that he is if he entertains guests in this House—that under the two windows in the Peers' guest room there is a tremendous draught? It is wholly unacceptable and has been complained of for a long time. It is a bad example of energy saving.

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, I am unaware of the draught but I shall endeavour to investigate it.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, can the noble Lord tell the House the direction in which the money has gone? I know that noble Lords throughout the House are most interested.

§ Lord Hesketh
My Lords, the original campaign was most successful and the money has been redirected to the regions.