§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WakehamMy Department, like all others, has been active in implementing and developing the commitments made in the Environment White Paper,638W "This Common Inheritance", since its publication in September 1990. Progress has been recorded in my Department's report "The Government's Expenditure Plans within the Energy Sector" (Cm. 1505), published on 7 February. Specific initiatives in the last few months include:
two meetings of my ministerial committee on energy efficiency, which is reviewing energy efficiency activities across Government and setting up a system for reporting energy efficiency improvements in the Government estate;the launch of the home energy efficiency scheme for low-income households;a long-term strategic review of the coal research and development programme, which includes research on cleaner coal combustion.