Draft Boiler Upgrade Scheme (Amendment to the Energy Act 2008 etc.) Regulations 2026

Edward Morello Excerpts

Wednesday 14th October 2026 General Committees

[Edward Morello (West Dorset) (LD)]

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mrs Hobhouse. To be clear, the Liberal Democrats support this statutory instrument. We have long called for home energy policy to move beyond a fixation on heat pumps as the only solution. Heat pumps work well for many homes, but heat batteries offer another low-carbon option.

With energy bills rising because of the conflict in the middle east, the Government must do more to improve home energy efficiency and protect households from volatile energy prices. The Liberal Democrats are calling for an ambitious 10-year emergency home upgrade programme, starting with free installation for people on low incomes, alongside a commitment to zero-carbon new homes and decoupling from the marginal pricing system.

As I am chair of the all-party parliamentary group on ClimateTech, it would be remiss of me not to mention that we must make better use of data when delivering home upgrades such as heat pumps and batteries. Decisions based on factory estimates do not reflect how building upgrades actually perform. Verified performance data can help households to get better advice, improve the success of retrofit programmes, reduce costs and encourage private investment.

The Government should go further to help households to access these solutions and ensure that low-carbon heating is affordable and practical for more people.