Energy Efficiency

HC Deb 16 July 2002 vol 389 cc211-2W

Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made on achieving energy efficiency targets by the NHS. [68227]

Mr. Lammy

The national health service in England successfully achieved the 20 per cent. reduction in energy use from a base year of 1990 to 2000. In line with the Government's climate change programme, the NHS in England has now been set a new mandatory target to reduce the level of primary energy consumption by 15 per cent. or 0.15 million tonnes carbon from March 2000 to March 2010.

NHS Estates (an Executive Agency of the Department) is working with the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme (now Action Energy) to assist the NHS to meet this challenging target. Progress and activity continues to be monitored using the agency's database. It is too early to determine progress against this new target.