§ Mr. SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement regarding the actual savings made under the energy management assistance scheme, and the original estimates provided by him in his answer of 24 May 1993,Official Report, column 617; whether the savings identified from investments undertaken to date under this scheme have remained at the level reported to the House in his answer of 30 June 1993, Official Report, columns 522–23; and what plans he has to expand the scheme.
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesThe energy management assistance scheme was launched in February 1992 and was to be reviewed after three years. It was designed to encourage small industrial and commercial enterprises to reduce their energy costs and so contribute to a reduction in the UK's emission of carbon dioxide. The number of 693W applications has been higher than expected, but generally from relatively small commercial enterprises, so the overall effect of the scheme now seems likely to be much less than the projection of £250 million savings by the year 2000 given in the answer of May 1993. Those enterprises which used the scheme achieved cost savings of between 10 and 40 per cent., thus maintaining the average reported in June 1993.
In reviewing the scheme, it was decided to take the opportunity to widen it to include other environmental matters. I announced plans to adapt EMAS in my recent answer to a question from the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 15 February, Official Report, column 676. The existing EMAS will be phased out during the next year and the small company environmental and energy management scheme will be introduced.