§ Mr. RostTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how he proposes to continue support for neighbourhood energy action; and if he expects to reverse the recent decline in the number of local projects;
(2) how many neighbourhood energy action projects were running in September 1988; how many are running now; and what has been the impact on such energy projects as a result of the change from the community programme to the employment training scheme.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThere were some 440 community insulation projects operating on 1 September; on 1 December there were about 300. These numbers are, however, not directly comparable because the transition from community programme to employment training involved a number of projects merging or reforming.
Uptake of places for unemployed people on the projects has been slow under employment training. My Department is therefore in discussion with the Training Agency on initiatives to increase the number of filled places.