§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidelines his Department has issued to hospitals about reducing energy consumption; and to what extent energy use in hospitals has decreased resulting from such guidelines.
§ Mr. John PattenThe Department has issued guidelines and produced performance indicators that will enable hospitals to monitor their energy consumption and establish targets for reducing it. It has also published articles regularly in NHS and other journals on energy saving methods applicable to the NHS.
The NHS in England and Wales is currently realising savings estimated at £68 million a year but it is not possible to determine the proportion directly attributable to the Department's guidance.