Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of fuel poverty in (a) Coventry, (b) Coventry North East constituency and (c) England.

The Government is committed to tackling fuel poverty and is clear that we cannot leave the fuel poor behind in meeting our energy and climate change objectives.

We have a strong package of policies delivering assistance to those in need including: the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), the Warm Home Discount Scheme and the Big Energy Saving Network.

By the end of April 2014 ECO has seen the installation of 469,000 insulation and heating measures in over 394,000 low income and vulnerable households.

TheWarm Home Discount helps over 2 million households each year including more than a million low income pensioners who receive the discount automatically. This coming winter, the value of the discount will rise to £140.

DECC has also committed nearly £2million for 2013-15 to the Big Energy Saving Network, which provides grant funding to community and third sector organisations throughout Great Britain. The funding delivers help directly to communities and assists vulnerable consumers to take action by switching their tariff or payment method and taking up energy efficiency offers.

Government is preparing proposals on a new fuel poverty target and Strategy for England in line with the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000. We will be publishing our target proposals and consultation in preparation for a new fuel poverty strategy in due course.