§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Energy what action has been taken by his Department to ensure that all Government Departments conserve energy; and with what success.
§ Mr. MooreIn response to the shortage of Iranian oil, all Government Departments, in common with all sections of the public sector, have been asked by my Department to make real568W and determined efforts to economise in their use of oil products. Arrangements have been made for Ministers in each Department to oversee these efforts, and for progress to be monitored. I shall be reporting to the House on the savings achieved in due course.
The Government are committed to pursue a vigorous energy conservation policy, and the statement of my right hon. Friend on 7 June referred to our conviction that the Government and the public sector must give a sensible and firm lead on energy conservation. The Department continues to co-ordinate inter-departmental efforts in this field. The Property Services Agency (PSA), which has the responsibility for energy conservation measures in the Government civil estate and the Ministry of Defence estate, is already involved in a four-year programme of energy conservation measures; and has recently reported that in 1978–79, the first year of the programme, energy saving measures (including improved controls for heating systems, improved thermal insulation of buildings, hot water and steam pipe-work and draught-proofing of buildings) have resulted in an estimated annual saving to the value of £1.9 million.