HC Deb 06 June 1991 vol 192 cc288-9W
Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give for each available year from 1978 the amount invested in improving the energy efficiency of his Department in(a) cash terms and (b) 1990–91 money terms.

Mr. Heseltine

[holding answer 3 June 1991]: Information on my Department's investment in improving energy efficiency prior to 1989–90 is not available. Expenditure on energy efficiency measures for 1989–90 is estimated to have totalled £120,000 which in 1990–91 money terms is £130,000. Expenditure for 1990–91 is estimated to be £140,000. These figures exclude energy conservation work carried out by Property Holdings on behalf of other Government Departments.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of energy audits carried out in his Department in the past five years and for each audit a statement of its main conclusions.

Mr. Heseltine

[holding answer 3 June 1991]: A total of eight energy audits of offices and specialised sites in London and the regions carried out by external consultants have been initiated in my Department within the five-year period ending March 1990. Since then the Department's energy management unit has carried out five short in-house energy audits in specialised sites and three lighting surveys have been carried out in regional offices. The majority of recommendations resulting from both major and minor audits have recommended various no-cost or low-cost energy conservation measures. These have been, or are in the process of being, implemented where practicable.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of dedicated energy managers in his Department and the number of person-years devoted to energy management in the latest year.

Mr. Heseltine

[holding answer 3 June 1991]: My Department's energy management unit is staffed by four officials whose total effort on energy management represents an approximate total of 1.5 person years. An additional 0.4 person years is dedicated to energy management in the Building Research Establishment.