Fuel Poverty

Despite years of initiatives and spending programmes from the last Labour Government, fuel poverty remains an ever increasing problem.  It is made worse by the rising fuel prices, which is causing hardship for many.

For this reason, during Parliamentary Energy and Climate Change questions today, I asked the Secretary of State, Chris Huhne, about fuel poverty in Harlow. There are around 850 households suffering from fuel poverty.  I wanted to know what specific actions - relative to the Green Deal - were being taken to alleviate this problem.

My questions were as follows:

Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con): What recent estimate he has made of the number of homes in (a) Harlow constituency and (b) England which could receive assistance from the Government's proposed green deal. [30981]

The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (Chris Huhne): The green deal will create a completely new market mechanism for driving energy efficiency installations in buildings, incorporating an entirely new obligation on energy suppliers. All 22 million homes, and within that all 35,699 homes in my hon. Friend’s constituency of Harlow, could potentially benefit from the green deal.

Robert Halfon: I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply. More than 850 households in my constituency are thought to be suffering from fuel poverty, and fuel prices are rising now. Will the Minister explain what the Government are doing specifically to warm up Harlow homes this Christmas and in the years ahead?

Chris Huhne: As my hon. Friend knows, the discount scheme available to people is a voluntary scheme. We are bringing forward the warm home discount bonus for next year, a scheme that will be clearly underpinned by legislation. In the short run, we are putting pressure on Ofgem, as I have previously described in the House, and Ofgem is putting pressure on the suppliers, to ensure that there .  For example, if are not excessive margins in the industry. In the longer term, which is the key if we are to deal with fuel poverty, we have to deal with its root causes. We cannot go on applying sticking-plasters, in the form of discounts or short-term help. The only long-term solution, as we have seen from the failure of the strategy to deal with fuel poverty over the last few years, when it has risen substantially, is to deal with the root causes by improving energy efficiency in the homes of those affected.

I was heartened by the Government response, particularly since they have pledged to put pressure - via the energy regulator OFGEM - to push energy prices downwards.  The Green Deal, could also have enormous benefits as it gives home-owners, the chance of free insulation - paid for by private companies (they recoup the money through the savings made on energy costs).

You can see nation-wide fuel statistics HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com