Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Fallon and Emma Lewell-Buck

Thursday 16th January 2014 Commons Chamber

[The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Michael Fallon)]

Yes. What has been proposed for shale gas is exactly the same as what will apply for large-scale wind farms and large-scale solar farms. Local authorities will be able to enjoy the benefits of 100% business rate retention, and it is only right that local people should therefore get some of the benefit.

[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab)]

T4. Last year, the number of additional winter deaths in the north-east hit a 10-year high. Many vulnerable people living in my constituency would have benefited from having better insulated homes, but since the introduction of the Government’s energy company obligation the number of households having insulation installed has fallen by 90%. How does the Minister explain this shocking step backwards?