HC Deb 28 July 2000 vol 354 cc943-4W
Joan Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his plans and budget are for improving energy efficiency for vulnerable households between April 2001 and 31 March 2004. [133476]

Mr. Meacher

The principal programme for improving the energy efficiency of vulnerable householders in private sector housing in England is the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES). Following the Comprehensive Spending Review, the budgets for HEES have been set as follows.

Year £ millions
2001–02 153
2002–03 167
2003–04 171

By 2004, the scheme is expected to have helped 800,000 households.

Improvements in the energy efficiency of social sector housing are delivered through local authorities' and registered social landlords' renovation and improvement programmes. The resources made available for housing investment in the 2000 Spending Review will allow half a million social sector houses (over a third of the total in poor condition) to be brought up to a decent standard by 2004.