HC Deb 22 November 1999 vol 339 cc21-2W
Mrs. Gilroy

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the savings which could be made in the management and maintenance of public sector housing by a programme of installing energy efficiency measures in order to end fuel poverty in public sector housing. [99115]

Mr. Meacher

Under my Department's Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme, the Building Research Establishment commissioned some limited studies in the early 1990s. The studies estimated that public sector landlords could expect to save of the order of £300 and £400 per dwelling per year as a result of applying comprehensive energy efficiency improvements to public sector housing. These savings resulted from reductions in management time dealing with rent arrears, lower management costs associated with handling fewer complaints, voids and vandalism, and lower maintenance costs. The studies are available as published Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme case studies (numbers 186, 187 and 189) and I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.