HC Deb 14 January 2003 vol 397 cc598-9W
Mrs. Calton

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to develop a housing poverty indicator to enable the development of more accurate evidence-based policies. [88541]

Mrs. Roche

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Department is currently involved in a project to consider options for strengthening and updating the Indices of Deprivation 2000 (ID 2000), including the way housing deprivation is measured. Preliminary proposals for improving the housing domain were published in the Stage One Consultation report, which is out to consultation until 15 January 2003. These proposals includeUsing the most up-to-date information including data from the 2001 Census and the 2001 English. House Condition Survey to update current indicators; Investigating the possibility of adding new indicators to measure children living in unsuitable accommodation, households lacking amenities and houses without central heating; and Considering how the 2002 English House Condition Survey might be used to model further indicators on housing quality.

Once the consultation is over, the next step would be to draft a blue print setting out actual plans for updating the ID 2000, taking on board consultation responses. This blue print will then be subject to an independent peer review and a further period of consultation before the ID 2000 is updated.

Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his housing decency standard relating heat loss to energy input is; and what temperature that standard is designed to maintain. [89570]

Mr. McNulty

The decent home standard does not include a measure of energy efficiency. There are two measures in the standard that will impact on the energy efficiency of homes. The standard requires dwellings to achieve a reasonable degree of thermal comfort through provision of efficient heating and effective insulation. Guidance on implementing the standard encourages landlords to maximise energy efficiency where feasible when installing new heating systems.

Under the fitness standard, which is another component of the decent home standard, a property must have adequate provision for heating. This is defined as sufficient to achieve a temperature of 18°C in the main living room and 16°C in other habitable rooms when the outside temperature is minus 1°C.