§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate the Government have made of the effect of an extension of the mains gas network to areas of England without such provision on the extent of fuel poverty; and if she will make a statement. [178048]
§ Mr. TimmsI have been asked to reply.
The Department estimates that, based on figures for 2001, around 450,000 vulnerable, fuel poor households lacked access to mains gas, and that around 180,000 of those households might feasibly be connected to the mains gas network. The Department has been considering the possibility of funding for a programme to provide connection to deprived communities without mains gas. The Design and Demonstration Unit, which is based in DTI and designs and develops projects in support of White Paper objectives, has completed two pathfinder projects to provide gas connections to deprived communities, and is currently working on a third. It hopes to undertake more projects during 2004–05.