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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to eradicate fuel poverty in the UK. [7753] Mr. Meacher: The UK fuel poverty strategy was published on 21 November. This set out the Government's goal to seek an end to the problem of fuel poverty, with the first target to ensure that by 2010, no vulnerable household--older people, families, disabled and long- term sick--need risk ill health due to a cold home or spend more than 10 per cent. of income to keep warm. The strategy is based on a range of programmes and measures to tackle the root causes of fuel poverty: programmes to improve the energy efficiency of fuel poor households. These include the individual home energy efficiency schemes within each country as well as programmes to improve the standard of social housing. As part of their reports under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1996, we have asked energy conservation authorities to report on their efforts to tackle fuel poverty; Continuing action to maintain the downward pressure on fuel bills, ensuring fair treatment for the less well off; Continuing action to tackle poverty and social exclusion. We will also be working with interested groups to further improve these programmes, and also to develop programmes that can identify and assist those healthy adult households at risk from longer-term fuel poverty.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

376 c395W; 7753

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Energy Households Fuel poverty Heating Fuels Warm front scheme Low incomes Poverty

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk