Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Olly Glover and Martin McCluskey

Tuesday 13th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Olly Glover (Didcot and Wantage) (LD)]

3. Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of adopting cooling measures into the warm homes scheme.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Martin McCluskey)]

This summer we all felt the impact of climate change, whether in our homes, workplaces or schools. The warm homes plan will ensure that cooling measures, as well as heating measures, are available for the most vulnerable homes. Additionally, all eligible households in England and Wales can benefit from the expanded boiler upgrade scheme, which now includes air-to-air heat pumps, which are able to heat and cool homes.

[Olly Glover]

The Government’s commitment to improving the energy efficiency of our homes is welcome and is a stark contrast to the Conservatives’ apparent embrace of a Fred Flintstone home standard. This year saw the hottest summer on record, and climate change science indicates that such temperatures are going to become the norm. Can the Minister assure the House that the standards that he mentions will take full account of those trends and the need to efficiently cool our buildings?

[Martin McCluskey]

I can give the hon. Gentleman that assurance. He will know that we are currently reviewing part O of the Building Regulations on overheating in order to ensure that, in the future, buildings are well prepared for the temperatures that we may face and are able to adapt to climate change.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Olly Glover and Martin McCluskey

Tuesday 2nd June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Olly Glover]

The energy price cap increase is estimated to cost each household an extra £18 every month, which is the price of a regular essential food shop at a discount supermarket. I note the measures that the Minister says the Government are taking, but in addition will the Government urgently bring forward a social tariff for vulnerable low-income households?

[Martin McCluskey]

The hon. Member makes an important point. The Government do not want anyone to be making the choice between heating and eating. That is why across Government we are working on a data sprint to work out how we can use household income date to ensure that we are targeting support at the right people.