§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will include an aim to deal with fuel poverty within her Department's aims and objectives. [11790]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 1 November 2001]: The Department's overall aim is sustainable development, and its responsibilities are broad, encompassing the food chain and farming, environmental protection and the well-being of the economy and communities in rural areas. Reference 891W to each and every specific policy area is therefore not written into the Department's general aim and objectives. I remain fully committed however, to implementation of the Government's fuel poverty strategy, the final version of which will be published shortly, and which will provide the framework for ending the blight of fuel poverty for vulnerable households by 2010. The Department's overall objectives enhance this priority.