§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans her Department has to provide assistance and support for the extension of the mains gas network to those areas without access, with particular reference to deprived communities; [178011]
(2) what discussions have been held between her Department and the Treasury to seek funding for the extension of mains gas provision to areas of England not served by the network; and if she will make a statement. [178012]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Department estimates that, based on figures for 2001, around 450,000 vulnerable, fuel poor households lacked access to mains gas, and that around 180,000 of those households might feasibly be connected to the mains gas network. The Department has been considering the possibility of funding for a programme to provide connection to deprived communities without mains gas. The Design and Demonstration Unit, which is based in DTI and designs and develops projects in support of White Paper objectives has completed two pathfinder projects to provide gas connections to deprived communities, and is currently working on a third. It hopes to undertake more projects during 2004–05.