§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will commission a study into schemes which would reduce financial barriers to energy conservation investment.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithOn 28 November last year my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State published the Armitage Norton study on investment in industrial energy conservation. The main barriers indentified by the study were lack of awareness of what could be achieved and inadequate energy management techniques. We have launched a major campaign, and set up the Energy Efficiency Office, to help firms overcome these barriers.
§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will implement the recommendation of the Armitage Norton study to produce a handbook on investment appraisal for energy conservation schemes.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe Energy Efficiency Office—which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State set up in October last year in my Department—has published a handbook on investment appraisal for energy efficiency schemes. It is called "Higher Returns with Energy — A Financial Guide to Efficient Energy Management". I am placing a copy in the Libraries of both Houses.