Energy Efficiency

HC Deb 28 January 1991 vol 184 cc431-2W

Mr. Pendry

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what specific measures his Department has taken to promote energy efficiency; what further measures his Department intends to take to promote energy efficiency; and by what amount and what percentage of its total energy bill his Department's energy bill has been reduced over the past year.

Mr. Jack

The Department is committed to supporting the Government's initiative aimed at reducing consumption on the civil estate by 15 per cent. over the next five years. Performance measures have recently been introduced, and additional resources have been allocated to setting targets monitoring them and identifying opportunities for further investment. An allocation of £562,000 has been made for the financial year 1991–92, in addition to sums which will be spent as an integral part of building refurbishment and new construction projects. Particular attention is being given to boiler replacement and improvements to lighting using high-frequency, low-energy fluorescent and ultrasonic controls.

The Department appointed a full-time energy manager in 1987 and has since developed a number of initiatives to improve energy efficiency in the 1,000 buildings which we wholly or partially occupy. The main achievements have been: —a staff publicity campaign, including a poster competition and features in the staff magazine, —over £100,000 invested in replacing tungsten lighting with compact fluorescent lighting, —over £100,000 invested in a variety of small scale initiatives including the installation of heating and lighting controls, false ceilings and high-efficiency fluorescent fittings.

Prior to April 1990, the Property Services Agency was responsible for maintenance of the Department's buildings and undertook the bulk of investment for energy efficiency improvements, for which figures are not available.

Over the four financial years 1986–87 to 1989–90, after adjustment for area, price and weather, energy consumption in the Department increased from £9.10 million to £10.09 million (an increase of 10.88 per cent.), with an increase of £1.12 million (12.49 per cent.) in 1989–90 over 1988–89. Within these figures consumption of boiler fuels declined by 12 per cent. over the four-year period. There was, however, a substantial increase in electricity consumption as a consequence of the introduction of the Department's operational strategy computerisation programme.

Although the Department of Energy has primary responsibility for providing advice and grants on energy efficiency, our Department is supporting the promotion of the home energy efficiency scheme launched on 1 January this year. The scheme is funded by the Department of Energy but administered by the neighbourhood energy action voluntary group. Posters and leaflets are to be made available in social security offices, and the Department's officers providing information and advice services will be made aware of this scheme.