HC Deb 29 January 1990 vol 166 cc79-80W
23. Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the costs and benefits of the neighbourhood energy action community insulation programmes.

Mr. Peter Morrison

Community insulation projects have played a valuable role in combining implementation of basic insulation measures in low-income households with training for the unemployed. The Social Security Bill, which received its Second Reading on 22 January, will give my right hon. Friend powers to introduce a new scheme of grant not dependent on the availability of trainees. The costs and benefits of this scheme will be monitored and evaluated in the normal way.

43. Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any further plans to encourage home insulation.

55. Mr. Wallace

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to encourage home insulation measures.

Mr. Peter Morrison

Existing programmes by the Energy Efficiency Office to encourage and promote energy efficiency in housing include publication of relevant information and advice under the best practice programme; support for community insulation projects; marketing and publicity initiatives, targeted on low-income households and on those moving house or undertaking improvements; and liaison arrangements with professional bodies in the building sector to encourage building professionals to give greater consideration to energy efficiency in the design of buildings.

The Social Security Bill, which received its Second Reading on 22 January, will enable my right hon. Friend to build on the arrangements to promote energy efficiency in low-income households through the introduction of a new scheme of grants.

25. Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will restore the level of investment and employment in community insulation projects to that obtaining in 1988.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The principal purpose of community insulation projects is to help those on low incomes to be more efficient in their use of energy. The Social Security Bill, which received its Second Reading on 22 January, will give my right hon. Friend powers to introduce a new scheme of grants towards the costs of insulation measures in low-income households. I expect the new scheme to increase significantly the rate at which such measures are implemented.