Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Thursday 11th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker)]

The spending review committed significant resources to tackling fuel poverty. Warm Front will continue to install measures for around 160,000 households in the next two years. In addition, we are actively working on the green deal and its new energy company obligation, which will have a particular focus on vulnerable households, for the end of 2012. We have confirmed an increase to cold weather payments at £25 a week. We have also confirmed that, from April 2011, energy suppliers will provide new help with energy bills, particularly for the most vulnerable fuel-poor households, through social price support. I will make a more detailed announcement on SPS shortly.

[Mr Speaker]

We are grateful. A blue pencil is needed to some of these initial answers. They are simply too long.

[Gregory Barker]

As the hon. Gentleman will know, fuel poverty grew year on year on year under the previous Government. It is simply a fact that 4 million households are now in fuel poverty; five years ago, 2 million households were in fuel poverty. If we had carried on with Warm Front business as usual, the fact of the matter is that it would have taken more than 20 years to achieve the 2016 target. We need a fresh approach, we need to bring in private investment and we need to create new markets. Only then, with the ambition that we have in the new coalition, will we really stand a chance of tackling fuel poverty.

[Mr Speaker]

Answers really must be shorter from now on. The Minister has been too long, and that is the end of it.

[Mr David Amess (Southend West) (Con)]

6. How many households he expects to have participated in his Department's energy efficiency programmes by 2015.

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am grateful to the Minister because he has heeded the advice that I have given to him. The exchange that has just taken place between the hon. Member for Redcar (Ian Swales) and the Minister is a good illustration of how these matters should be conducted. I feel confident that the Minister will want to build on the great advance he has made in recent minutes, and I hope that the House will also feel that this is beneficial to the way in which we do our business. We can always do better, each and every one of us, and there will be further opportunities.

The House will now stand and observe two minutes’ silence.

The House observed a two-minute silence.

[Mr Speaker]

Thank you.

There was interest in Mr Swales’s question and I hope that there still is.

[Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham) (Lab)]

On this subject, will the Minister meet the UK Energy-Intensive Users Group, because its report, published this week and entitled “The Cumulative Impact of Climate Change Policies on UK Energy Intensive Industries”, suggests that without a change of course, electricity prices for the steel industry—which is very important for south Yorkshire—could rise by as much as 141% by 2020? We are all climate-changers and carbon-reducers, but not at the price of eliminating our steel industry.

--- Later in debate ---

[Charles Hendry]

My hon. Friend raises a critical issue. We have already started to take action. I have licensed the Saltfleetby facility, which will give us a 15% increase in our gas storage, and the Deborah facility, which, if it gets the final investment decision, will double gas storage in this country. We shall also take steps in the Energy Security and Green Economy Bill this autumn to require greater security of supply from the energy companies.

[Mr Speaker]

Jessica Morden. Not here.

[Malcolm Wicks (Croydon North) (Lab)]

Following this week’s publication of the “World Energy Outlook” by the International Energy Agency, have the Minister and his Department made any assessment to see whether they agree with the view that we are facing a global glut of gas? Has he also analysed the connect, or disconnect, between that fact and the rising gas prices that our householders and businesses in the UK are facing?

--- Later in debate ---

[Gregory Barker]

These are big figures and it is difficult to get one’s head around them. No new data are available, but I remind my hon. Friend that the cost of not acting is far greater than the cost of prudent early action. Lord Stern estimated that the cost would be between 5% and 10% of GDP. Moreover, this is a huge opportunity for UK plc.

[Mr Speaker]

Gareth Thomas. Not here.