§ Mr. ClaphamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many jobs he estimates have been created by the fuel poverty initiatives introduced by the energy companies. [153454]
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§ Mr. HainThe Government welcome the involvement of energy companies in tackling fuel poverty. Company schemes cover a variety of initiatives—special tariffs for low-income customers, advice on debt management, benefit checks and measures to improve the energy efficiency of people's homes. These schemes will improve referral networks and support the Government's programme for improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock, especially for the fuel poor. Some of this activity will result in the creation of new jobs, however, most of these initiatives are in the early stages of their operation and it is therefore not possible to separately identify, and quantify, the number of new jobs created as a direct result of these schemes.