§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what measures his Department is taking to promote energy efficiency among small businesses; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryMy Energy Efficiency Office is developing a new scheme to encourage smaller businesses to invest in energy efficiency measures. It is envisaged that the scheme will help pay the costs of energy audits, feasibility studies and project management of energy efficient investments in smaller enterprises. It is being designed to overcome the barrier of lack of management time and energy efficiency knowledge in such enterprises. Smaller business can also use our comprehensive information literature and copy the examples of the most effective technologies provided by the EEO's best practice programme.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the most up-to-date estimates available to him regarding the annual public expenditure total allocated to energy efficiency in the previous and present financial year in each of the OECD countries.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryMy Department keeps abreast of energy efficiency developments overseas primarily through its work with the European Community and the International Energy Agency. The IEA publishes annual reports on its reviews of national energy policies and programmes, but its records of expenditure do not identify comparable items.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the total annual expenditure of the energy efficiency office, and of all other Government expenditure on energy efficiency.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe Energy Efficiency Office budget is £42 million this year. The report of the ministerial group on energy efficiency, published on 16 October, described a range of programmes to promote energy efficiency, which involve public expenditure in excess of £1 billion.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the name and principal functions of the chairman and members of the energy efficiency programme committee.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe energy efficiency programme committee—EEPC—advises the Energy Efficiency Office—EEO—on the strategic, technical and commerical merits of sectoral strategies and individual projects under the best practice programme which are submitted to the committee for consideration. The committee also monitors progress on that programme. The names of the current members including the chairman are as follows:
- Dr. E. W. Lees (Energy Technology Support Unit, ETSU)
- Chairman
516 - Dr. K. J. Brown (ETSU)
- Dr. A. B. Birtles (Building Research Energy Conservation Unit)
- Dr. V. Crisp (Building Research Establishment)
- Dr. J. E. P. Miles (Department of Energy, EEO)
- Dr. D. J. Vincent (Department of Energy, EEO)
- Dr. P. T. Clarke (Department of Energy, EEO)
- Dr. R. Moore (Department of Environment)
- Mr. A. J. Beaumont (Department of Trade and Industry)
- Dr. G. J. K. Acres (Johnson Matthey plc)
- Mr. D. G. Clarke (Twyford Bathrooms)
- Dr. D. A. Everest (University of East Anglia)
- Mr. S. A. B. Heppell, CBE (Manchester City Council)
- Dr. B. C. Hutt (W. S. Atkins Energy)
- Mr. P. Ibbotson (J. Sainsbury plc)
- Mr. R. D. Jones (Wimpey Environmental Ltd.)
- Mr. F. Nash (McLellan and Partners)
- Prof. P. O'Sullivan (University College, London)
- Mr. J. Ward (Polytechnic of Wales)
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the cost of the production, publication and printing of the 1990–91 annual report of the ministerial conference on energy efficiency; how many copies were printed; and to whom they have been circulated.
§ Mr. WakehamProduction, publication and printing of the annual report of the ministerial group on energy efficiency was carried out by the Central Office of Information for the Energy Efficiency Office, and cost £25,350. These costs will be met from the EEO's promotional budget. Five thousand copies were printed and have been circulated to colleagues in the Cabinet, Energy Ministers overseas, the major energy industries, energy efficiency bodies, industry trade associations, professional bodies, local authority associations, environmental groups and the press.
I hope that the report will spread awareness of the wide range of the Government's policies and programmes to promote energy efficiency, and will encourage those who receive it to improve the efficiency with which they use energy.