§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in drawing up an energy labelling scheme for low-energy lamps.
§ Mr. YeoAll light bulbs, including low-energy bulbs, already show their electricity consumption in watts both on the bulb itself and on the packaging. In the case of low-energy bulbs, most manufacturers also show on the packaging the electricity consumption of an equivalent conventional tungsten bulb. The Energy Efficiency Office (EEO) has recently published a short consumer guide "Energy Saving Lightbulbs—The Facts" which has been widely distributed by the major retailers to shops where the bulbs are sold.
The European Commission is investigating the need for a directive for the mandatory energy labelling of lighting as part of a plan to introduce energy labelling of all major electricity consuming appliances. The Government support these plans.