HL Deb 02 February 1993 vol 542 cc83-4

2.55 p.m.

Lord Tordoff

My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Hanworth, and at his specific request, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in his name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows: To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent they have been able to install the latest energy saving devices and control measures for lighting in government departments; and whether there is any provision in budgets for doing so.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Strathclyde)

My Lords, the Energy Efficiency Office gives advice and encouragement to all government departments to adopt cost-effective energy efficiency measures. Total expenditure by departments on energy efficiency measures, including lighting, amounted to some £13 million in 1991–92.

Lord Tordoff

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that Answer. Can he say what percentage of the total fuel costs are currently represented by lighting in government departments?

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, I cannot give the noble Lord a specific answer to his question. However, I know that research by the Energy Efficiency Office has shown that about 50 per cent. of energy costs are made up of lighting.

Lord Ezra

My Lords, in view of the important percentage which the noble Lord has just indicated, does he not agree that on the whole lighting tends to be part of the energy efficiency drive which has been too long neglected? Therefore, will the Government not only do all they can to improve lighting performance in government-controlled buildings, but also use that as an example to spur on the rest of the economy to do likewise?

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, I believe that there is increasing understanding that energy efficiency for lighting can be extremely effective with a low pay-back period. As regards government buildings, noble Lords will be pleased to know that in the parliamentary estate the electrical load has been reduced from 328 kilowatts to 111 kilowatts, a saving of 217 kilowatts (66 per cent.) by energy efficiency means.

Lord Williams of Elvel

My Lords, will the noble Lord recognise that the latest figures for expenditure on energy and energy efficiency, 1991–92 over 1990–91, show a mixed record? His own department comes out rather well. Will he further recognise that there are some laggards; for example, the Department of Trade and Industry is down 74 per cent.; the Lord Chancellor's Department is down 57 per cent.?

A Noble Lord

Legal aid!

Lord Williams of Elvel

The Treasury is down to no expenditure at all. Can the noble Lord explain what mechanisms are in place in his department for ensuring that the laggards at least come up to the recommendation of the Audit Commission for local authorities?

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, it is for Ministers in their departments to decide what their priorities are. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has set up a committee of Green Ministers which sat for the first time on 1st October. Those Ministers have been asked to report what their individual departments are doing. We hope that that will encourage them to prioritise energy efficiency in the correct way.

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, since the committee to which my noble friend has just referred accounts for about 30 per cent. of Ministers, can we expect expenditure in this area in the Department of the Environment to go down by a similar amount?

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, I believe that the battle for energy efficiency will not be won for a very long time. There is a considerable amount to do, not just in the Department of the Environment, but also in other departments. It is cost effective. I feel that more will be done.

Baroness Robson of Kiddington

My Lords, will the Minister also consider that it is not only government departments that have to be energy-saving conscious but also the general public? In view of the high cost of energy-saving light bulbs, can the Minister say whether it will be possible for the Government to reduce the VAT on those bulbs?

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, the noble Baroness is, of course, absolutely correct. It is also a matter of what private individuals—the general public—do. However, this Question refers to government departments, which is why I answered it in that respect.

Lord Tordoff

My Lords, have the Government heard of the Green Light Programme which has been put into operation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, by which the American administration gives technical assistance to companies which are reducing their lighting load? Something like 700 companies have been encouraged so to do. Are the Government considering a similar initiative in this country?

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, in the United Kingdom we feel that the case for energy efficiency is so great that the facts speak for themselves, so there is no need for a specific subsidy. Instead we support the Energy Efficiency Office to the tune of some £60 million so as to spread the message across the country.