§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the total funds available in the current financial year to help people on low incomes insulate their houses.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Government provides assistance for this purpose through the Community Insulation Projects, which have to date provided free or low-cost basic insulation service for about 400,000 low income households; and the homes insulation scheme, which provides, alongside the general grant at 66 per cent., a means-tested grant at 90 per cent. restricted to certain categories of low-income household. Government funding for these schemes in 1987–88 is estimated as follows:
£ million Community Insulation Projects 45 Homes insulation scheme1: England2 16.5 Scotland 2.1 Wales3 2.3 Total4 66 1 Provisions for the HIS in the public expenditure survey. 2 In addition, a number of English local authorities have decided, with the approval of the Department of the Environment, to use some of their housing investment programme allocations for the purpose of the homes insulation scheme. The Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 3 November his intention to make further capital allocations to local authorities for housing needs, including homes insulation. 3 Net of local authority administration costs. 4 Rounded.