Energy Advice Centres (Hansard, 7 November 1996)

§ Mr. Raynsford
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the need for continuing financial support from(a) the Government and (b) the Energy Savings Trust for local energy advice centres funded by the Energy Savings Trust over the last three years. [2254]

§ Mr. Robert B. Jones
My Department has received approximately 30 representations about the funding of local energy advice centres over the last three years. Of these, 14 covered Government funding and five funding by the Energy Saving Trust. The remaining 11 were concerned with financial support in general.

§ Mr. Raynsford
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local energy advice centres which have been funded via the Energy Savings Trust in the last three years. [2220]

§ Mr. Jones
The local energy advice centres which have been funded by the Energy Saving Trust in the last three years are:

Aberdeenshire Energy Advice Centre

Belfast Energy Advice Centre

Black Country Energy Advice Centre

Bristol Energy Advice Centre

Cardiff Energy Advice Centre

Croydon Energy Advice Centre

Greenwich Energy Advice Centre

Highland Energy Advice Centre

Islington Energy Advice Centre

Leeds Energy Advice Centre

Leicester Energy Advice Centre

Lewisham Energy Advice Centre

Lothian and Edinburgh Energy Advice Centre

Middlesborough Energy Advice Centre

Northumbria Energy Advice Centre

Orkney Energy Advice Centre

Peterborough Energy Advice Centre
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Plymouth Energy Advice Centre

Ryedale Energy Advice Centre

Shetland Energy Advice Centre

Solent Energy Advice Centre

Stockton on Tees Energy Advice Centre

Strathclyde and Central Energy Advice Centre

Swansea Energy Advice Centre

Tayside Energy Advice Centre

Telford Energy Advice Centre

Thames Valley Energy Advice Centre

West Wales Energy Advice Centre

Western Isles Energy Advice Centre

Western Regional Energy Advice Centre

Wirral Energy Advice Centre.

§ Mr. Raynsford
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local energy advice centres which his Department has assessed as currently lack sufficient funding to ensure their continuing operation. [2256]

§ Mr. Jones
The local energy advice centres are the responsibility of the Energy Saving Trust. I understand that only one local energy advice centre, which failed to meet its targets on 31 August 1996, has ceased to operate.

§ Mr. Raynsford
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of(a) the effectiveness of the local energy advice centres funded via the Energy Savings Trust in the last three years and (b) the need for the continuation of their services. [2255]

§ Mr. Jones
The Energy Saving Trust has now taken full responsibility for the further continuation and management of LEACs. On 12 July 1996, I approved grants totalling £4.1 million over three years to be paid to the Trust in support of this work.
Previously, market research showed that the LEACs provide an effective and value for money service. In 1994–95, about 57,000 clients visited LEAC offices and as a result of advice received, savings were made of 21,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions and £1.8 million over the same period.