§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much(a) electricity and (b) other energy his Department has used in each year since 1997 (i) in total and (ii) per square metre; what the projected use is for each of the following years for which forecasts are made; what plans he has to reduce usage; and if he will make a statement. [135051]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggIn response to parts(a) and (b) parts (i) and (ii) of this question, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by Defra on 3 November 2003 (Official Report column 404W). Targets for future energy use on the Government Estate are being developed under the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate.
Recent and planned changes to our estate due to the rationalisation of the use of our headquarters buildings have meant that we cannot accurately predict our energy consumption in the near future. My Department remains committed to reducing energy use as part of our own sustainable development plan, and as part of the government-wide programme to improve performance in this area.