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Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Answer

Alan Simpson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which of his Department's Public Service Agreements relate to fuel poverty reduction; and what progress has been made to date in achieving them. [79502] Mr. McNulty: The Public Service Agreement to bring all social housing up to a decent standard and to increase the proportion of vulnerable households in the private sector who live in homes that are in decent condition by 2010 will contribute to a reduction in fuel poverty. To be classed as decent, a home must provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort by providing efficient heating and effective insulation, measures which will make homes cheaper to heat. On the social sector side of the target, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is on track to meet its interim target of tackling a third of the worst social housing by 2004 and is working to ensure it meets the target by reviewing all policies that contribute to the delivery of decent social housing to ensure they are as effective as possible and provide value for money. For the private sector side of the target, officials are in the process of drawing up a delivery plan with colleagues in DEFRA responsible for the home energy efficiency scheme. The plan will set out in detail how the target will be delivered and include the steps that will be taken to ensure the contributing policies and procedures are working together as efficiently as possible.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

392 c605-6W;392 c620W; 79502

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Fuel poverty Insulation Heating Warm front scheme Private sector Standards Social rented housing

Link

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