§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what price incentives the Government support to encourage consumers to purchase energy efficient products. [67966]
§ Ms HewittOn 1 July 1998 a reduced VAT rate of 5 per cent. was introduced for the installation of certain energy saving materials under Government funded grant schemes. The reduced rate is targeted at the less well-off.
So far, over 135,000 people have benefited from Government-funded incentive schemes run by the Energy Saving Trust to encourage consumers to install energy efficiency measures. Current schemes include incentives to install insulation, efficient heating, efficient lighting and appliances and small scale Combined Heat and Power.
The Government's Home Energy Efficiency Scheme provides grants for energy efficiency measures for householders receiving income related benefits, disability allowance, or who are over sixty years old. HEES has helped over 2.5 million households over the last seven years.