§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what action has been taken in response to the energy technology support unit's assessment in January 1987 that research and development spending of £6.65 million over 10 years on new technology could ultimately produce energy savings of £350 million.
§ Mr. WakehamExpenditure on research and development forms only a small part of the total expenditure needed to produce energy savings from new technology. In April 1989 my Energy Efficiency Office replaced its research and development and demonstration programmes by the best practice programme of research, development, demonstration and dissemination. This aims to stimulate energy savings worth £500 million per year by the year 2000.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what arrangements have been established for the central reporting and monitoring of energy efficiency improvements for the public sector as a whole.
§ Mr. WakehamI refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 20 July 1989 at column249.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of the annual value of energy savings, in absolute and percentage terms, achieved over the last five years by(a) the National Health Service, (b) local authorities and (c) each Government Department.
§ Mr. WakehamThis information is not available.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated 1989–90 spending by the Energy Efficiency Office on research and development projects under the best practice programme; and what is the estimated number of projects which will have been assisted by the year end.
§ Mr. WakehamThe estimated total spend in 1989–90 by my Energy Efficiency Office on research, development, demonstration and dissemination, including the new best practice programme, is some £9.5 million. The R and D element of the best practice programme is only just commencing; eight projects have been recommended for support so far. The bulk of the expenditure has been on technology transfer.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made by the Energy Efficiency Office in 1989–90 towards promoting energy efficiency in(a) Government estate, (b) the National Health Service and (c) the rest of the public sector.
§ Mr. WakehamDetails of a campaign to promote energy efficiency within Government Departments were announced on 20 July 1989, and Ministers with special responsibility for departmental energy use have since met twice to take forward work towards the Government's aim of achieving savings rising to £45 million per annum (15 per cent. of the current total bill) over five years. My Energy Efficiency Office co-operates with the Audit Commission and Department of Health on work to promote energy efficiency in the NHS and local authority sectors.