Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Rosindell Excerpts

Tuesday 15th December 2020 Commons Chamber

[Nadhim Zahawi]

As a fellow engineer, the hon. Lady will know that the Made Smarter initiative has been a tremendous pilot in the north-west. We recently announced a further expansion, with £300 million—£147 million coming from the Government and the balance coming from the private sector—to support the adoption of technology into manufacturing. I hope the hon. Lady will continue to support Government initiatives such as Made Smarter.

[Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con)]

What steps he is taking to ensure that the Green Homes Grant scheme delivers (a) value for money and (b) environmental benefits.

[The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth (Kwasi Kwarteng)]

The Prime Minister has made it clear that energy efficiency is a top Government priority. The green homes grant provides economic stimulus, supporting more than 80,000 jobs, and through it households could save up to £600 a year on energy bills.

[Andrew Rosindell]

I thank the Minister for his answer, but will he explain what assessment his Department has made of the benefits of individual products when deciding what to include in the green homes grant scheme, and why solar thermal systems are included but not solar PV panels, which are not only more cost-effective but much better for the environment?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

As my hon. Friend will know, the list of technologies currently included reflects the Department’s assessment of the best balance between economic stimulus and maximising value for householders and taxpayers. In respect of solar PV, the particular emphasis in the green homes grant was on the energy efficiency of homes and not necessarily on electrification per se or the use of electricity.