§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken to meet the proposals contained in the European Community's SAVE programme; and to what extent the programme is behind schedule.
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 13 May 1992]: The United Kingdom fully supports the objectives of the SAVE programme and is active on the SAVE Consultative Committee, where we continue to reinforce the Commission's efforts to stimulate energy efficiency through pilot projects and information activities. Agreement has been reached on internal market legislation for efficiency standards of new central heating boilers and for mandatory energy labelling of domestic appliances. The Commission has now proposed a SAVE Directive setting out areas not related to traded goods in which member states should achieve progress in energy efficiency, and I welcome their recognition that EC wide legislation is not necessarily the best way to encourage energy efficiency in areas which do not affect the internal market. This new proposal replaces the timetable contained in the original SAVE Communication.