§ Mr. BerryTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research her Department has commissioned to(a) assess the potential contribution of the credit union movement to financial inclusion for disadvantaged households and (b) assess the role credit unions might have in progress towards meeting the objectives of the Government's fuel poverty strategy. [40070]
§ Mr. WilsonThe Department has not commissioned research on credit unions. Officials have participated in the steering group of a research project commissioned by Ofgem under its Social Action Plan, and sponsored by Innogy, which includes a study of the feasibility of promoting credit unions as part of a wider strategy to tackle fuel poverty. The report on this work, "Ending Financial Exclusion and Fuel Poverty—A Factor 4 Approach" was published by Ofgem on 5 March.