Energy Bill [HL]

Debate between Baroness Noakes and Lord Grantchester

Monday 24th January 2011 Grand Committee

[Baroness Noakes]

My Lords, I certainly do not want to delay the Committee beyond its natural span, but perhaps I could just ask the noble Lord, Lord Grantchester, how the possibility of local authorities carrying out improvement works and charging for them fits with the scheme of this Bill, which contains a requirement to carry out the relevant efficiency improvements financed either by the Green Deal or by the energy company obligation. I do not understand how another party in the form of the local authority can do something that should be dealt with by either the Green Deal or by the energy company obligation. It seems unfair at the very least, if we are talking about a group of tenants where one is holding out, for the landlord to be stuck with the cost for a whole building or block in circumstances where, for the rest, there would be a Green Deal. I do not understand how this amendment fits with the scheme, which is that the relevant energy efficiency improvements are Green Deal or energy company obligation-funded. They are not funded in any other way.

[Lord Grantchester]

I thank the noble Baroness for seeking that extra clarification. In this clause we are assuming that in a situation where a tenant is holding out against the wishes of every other tenant in a block, he would be required to undertake the improvements as part of the Green Deal. The costs arising would not land on the local authority. The tenant that was proving to be the roadblock would be entered under the Green Deal and would make payments under that deal. I think that this provision is set out in Clause 37.