Home Energy Conservation (Hansard, 5 November 2002)

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations her Department received from local authorities(a) prior to and (b) following the withdrawal of the Home Energy Conservation Bill; and if she will list those authorities. [77403]
235W

§ Mr. Morley
The performance figures for local authorities' progress with their HECA strategies compiled by DEFRA have been collected from the data provided by local authorities in their energy conservation reports. This data have not been subjected to a detailed statistical analysis. Nevertheless, in compiling figures and data relating to the overall position in England, instances where data provided by authorities was clearly incorrect or inappropriate have been pursued with the authority concerned, clarified and, where appropriate, and with the agreement of the authority concerned, amended.

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions were held between her Department and the hon. Member for Brighton and Kempton(a) prior to and (b) following the withdrawal of the Home Energy Conservation Bill. [77407]

§ Mr. Morley
There were discussions between Ministers and the hon. Member for Brighton and Kempton at each stage of the Home Energy Conservation Bill. There have been no discussions following the withdrawal of this Bill.

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she intends to adopt as Government policy the target of a 20 per cent. improvement in home energy efficiency by 2010; and if she will make a statement. [77433]

§ Mr. Morley
The Government will respond to the PIU's recommendations in the Energy White Paper, which the Government aims to publish around the turn of the year.

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she intends to offer further financial support to local authorities to assist them in meeting their targets under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995: [77456]
(2) if she will make it her policy to fund fully the costs to local authorities of meeting the targets that they have set in their strategies under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995; and if she will make a statement on any other policies and incentives which she intends to use to ensure that these targets are met. [77438]

§ Mr. Morley
The Government have no plans to provide local authorities with the full funding necessary to meet the targets they have set in their HECA strategies. Non-local authority programmes, such as the Government's Warm Front programme and gas and electricity suppliers' Energy Efficiency Commitment, will deliver the majority of the improvements needed to meet these non-statutory targets. The full cost will therefore not fall to local authorities. Any new obligations the Government placed on authorities would, of course, be funded in full.