Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Thursday 28th November 2013 Commons Chamber

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

With permission, I will answer this question and questions 5, 9, 13, 18, 20, and 21 together.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The Minister is a little confused. I will try to rescue him. We have been advised of the desire of the Government to link questions 5, 6, 12, 13 and 14, and I am sure that that is what the right hon. Gentleman really has in mind. I should say for the benefit of the House that the reason why we cannot group questions 18, 20 and 21 is that they do not exist.

[Gregory Barker]

I apologise, Mr Speaker, and stand corrected.

--- Later in debate ---

[Gregory Barker]

There were 1,173 plans in the system, as of October, and 594 are having measures installed and 219 at the end of October—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Afford the Minister a courteous hearing. Let us hear the rest of his answer.

[Gregory Barker]

Opposition Members might have had a bit too much Red Bull this morning.

The figure was 219 at the end of October, but that is the number of measures installed using finance. The really exciting thing is that tens of thousands of green deal measures have been installed, with people using the cash-back or their own money. So compelling is the green deal that people want all the savings now. If people want to take all the savings now by recognising that green deal measures are a great investment, that is a good thing. We will continue to improve the finance offer, but the green deal is up and running and it is a long-term programme.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

Let us have the remaining two questions with extreme brevity.

[Tessa Munt (Wells) (LD)]

I know the Secretary of State will want to commend the work of the Somerset Community Foundation. Under its “Surviving Winter” appeal, people can redistribute their winter fuel allowance, if they do not need some or all of it, to those who need money to heat their homes. Will the Secretary of State—[Interruption.] Will the Secretary of State have further discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that notice of that is included in the letter that goes out to everybody?

[Mr Speaker]

As the House knows, I am a perennial optimist.

[Mr Davey]

I will certainly bring my hon. Friend’s point to the attention of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.