Oral Answers to Questions

Janet Daby Excerpts

Tuesday 21st July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Tom Randall (Gedling) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to ensure a (a) green and (b) resilient economic recovery from the covid-19 outbreak.

[Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

What plans he has to promote a green economic recovery after the covid-19 outbreak.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

What plans he has to promote a green recovery from the covid-19 outbreak.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

My hon. Friend is exactly right. Our £3 billion investment in energy efficiency could support up to 140,000 green jobs. The £2 billion green homes grant will upgrade over 600,000 homes, saving households up to £600 a year on their energy bills.

[Janet Daby [V]]

I agree that it is great to have jobs created. Insulating homes creates jobs across all regions of the UK, yet right now it is having the opposite effect. Labour has been contacted by insulation businesses who are experiencing cancelled work as clients now want to wait until September, when green homes grant money is available. Will the Minister fix this problem, and fix it now, by stating that jobs done in July and August can claim green homes grant funding in September?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

The hon. Lady asks a very pertinent question. The Chancellor set out a £3 billion programme, and of course it will take time before that money is fully deployed. As well as the green homes upgrade, we have committed £320 million to the heat networks investment project, which is very relevant to the kind of work that she has described.