§ Chris RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many insulation grants have been made in each of the last 10 years. [30564]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 30 January 2002]: The original Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) started in 1991 and ran until May 2000. HEES was available in Great Britain and provided a single main insulation measure up to the value of £315.
New HEES was launched on 1 June 2000 and is now marketed as the Warm Front Team. The scheme has been designed to provide packages of insulation and heating measures up to £2,000 to private sector householders in England, dependent upon their needs and property type. The annual budget is £150 million. HEES is expected by 2004, to have provided assistance to 800,000 fuel poor householders i.e. those who spend 10 per cent. or more of their income to stay warm.
Fuel Poverty is a devolved area of responsibility. Scotland launched its scheme in July 1999 and Wales followed in November 2000. Northern Ireland runs its own scheme.
The table provides the information requested:
Financial year Number of insulation grants made in Great Britain 1991–92 167,000 1992–93 204,000 1993–94 270,000 1994–95 450,000 1995–96 624,000 1996–97 415,000 1997–98 416,000 1998–99 419,000 1999–2000 1405,000 2000–01 285,000 2001–02 3171,000 1 Data relate to the whole of Great Britain up to July 1999 when Scotland launched its own scheme. 2 Data relate to England and Wales up to November 2000 when Wales launched its own scheme. 3 Data relate to the period April 2001 to December 2001