§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Energy what initiatives have been taken by his Department to encourage the conservation of energy in public buildings in Great Grimsby.
§ Mr. David HuntLast year the Energy Efficiency Office organised a breakfast seminar on energy efficiency in Great Grimsby for 200 local senior executives, including representatives of public sector bodies.
More generally, the Energy Efficiency Office is promoting energy efficiency across the public sector in all regions. It has collaborated with the Audit Commission in devising a system to be used by latter's auditors to help all local authorities in England and Wales assess their energy use and draw up an energy action programme. It has developed a monitoring and targeting system to help local authorities control their energy use. It published, in July, a guide to good energy practice in local authorities, in which a case study by Great Grimsby borough council was featured. It has issued guidelines to help councils use contract energy management companies. It has collaborated with the Department of Health and Social Security in initiatives to improve energy efficiency in hospitals. But the final responsibility for energy efficiency in public buildings in Great Grimsby rests with local energy users and their management.