HL Deb 05 December 1989 vol 513 cc846-8WA
Lord Graham of Edmonton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to encourage the use of structural mineral fibre products in new and refurbished homes to minimise the amount of waste heat.

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

Amendments to the relevant part of the Building Regulations 1985 were made last July, and are due to come into operation on 1st April 1990. The amendments increase the thermal efficiency requirements for new buildings, and should achieve savings of about 20 per cent. in energy requirements for space and water heating in has an important role to play in meeting these requirements. The Home Insulation Scheme has provided grants for loft, tank, and pipe insulation in existing houses, and we estimate that around 90 per cent. of accessible lofts are now insulated. The scheme is being replaced by discretionary grants for a wider range of insulation measures under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and by the proposed new scheme of grants towards the cost of basic insulation measures in low income households recently announced by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Energy.