Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of local authorities having a role in supporting initiatives to improve the energy efficiency of housing at scale in their local areas; what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on supporting local authorities to have that role; and if he will make a statement.

Under the £2bn Green Homes Grant funding announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer on 8th July to save households money, cut carbon and create green jobs, £500 million has been earmarked for Local Authority delivery in England to ensure those in low-income households, who may be less likely to take up a demand-led voucher scheme, will be able to benefit from energy efficiency upgrades. Local Authorities have a comprehensive understanding of their local community and will be able to identify households through a variety of referral routes, such as a ‘cold home referral’ from the health and charity sectors.

As fuel poverty is a devolved issue the geographic policy scope for the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery is for England only.