§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the conversion rate for energy from people applying for a warm front grant has been in each of the last five years for which figures are available in(a) the Blackpool South constituency, (b) the Blackpool Unitary Authority area, (c) in each Government office region and (d) England; [73829]
(2) what assessment she has made of the feasibility of separating promotion of and assessment for warm front grant from sales activity on behalf of energy companies; [73827]
310W(3) how many complaints about attempts to sell energy contracts in association with warm front grants have been received by (a) her Department, (b) Ofgen and (c) warm front contractors and subcontractors in each of the last five years for which figures are available; [73828]
(4) what discussions she has had with (a) Ofgem, (b) Energywatch and (c) other consumer and regulation agencies, about potential conflicts of interest when subcontractors promoting warm front grants (i) advertise for alternative energy suppliers on warm front promotional literature and (ii) set aside time to promote energy suppliers within warm front assessment interviews. [73879]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 15 October 2002]Warm Front was launched in June 2000 and provides assistance to certain groups in receipt of a qualifying income or disability benefit by installing packages of insulation and heating measures.
Warm Front does not promote products or sell energy from individual energy companies. Households are free to choose their own supplier and may, like any consumer, opt to change after 28 days. Two Scheme Managers, Eaga Partnership and TXU Warm Front administer Warm Front. Some of the heating measures offered under Warm Front may require the household to be connected up to an additional electrical supply for night storage heaters or mains gas for the first time.
Following a tender exercise an agreement was entered into between Defra and two companies: Scottish Power and TXU Energi. For those requiring a gas central heating the preferred supplier was Scottish Power and for a combined electric and gas fuel supply from the Stay Warm tariff provided by TXU Energi. By August 2002 almost 4,000 homes had received a new gas supply. The majority of these households have not used the preferred suppliers.
Neither Scheme Managers have received complaints about mis-selling of energy contracts. I cannot comment on behalf of OFGEM. The Department has received one specific complaint relating to Nestmakers, an independent organisation jointly and equally owned by Scottish Power and Eaga Partnership Ltd. The allegation was investigated and found to be unproven.
Nestmakers also undertake home surveys for Warm Front in Eaga Partnership's catchment area. Nestmaker surveyors are aware that Warm Front is mutually exclusive to any energy supply contract. Nestmakers will take disciplinary action against any surveyor who is proved to have sold an energy supply contract on the conditional understanding that it was needed to access Warm Front.