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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes have benefited from completed warm front scheme installations; how many homes are in the process of being assessed; how many people have been turned down for up-grading of their heating; what the average wait is between application and installation; what has been the cost thus far to the public purse; and what assessment he has made of the efficiency of the EAGA partnership in delivering the scheme. [24951] Mr. Meacher: [holding answer 9 January 2002]: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES), now marketed as The Warm Front Team, is administered by two scheme managers, TXU Warm Front Ltd. (responsible for the Eastern, East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber) and Eaga Partnership Ltd. (responsible for the rest of England). HEES provides households with packages of heating and insulation measures tailored to their circumstances and property type. Where the householder is eligible and the property requires heating; then it is provided. The precise package is discussed and agreed between the householder and HEES surveyor. Number of homes completed or orders placed with the contractor (June 2000 to December 2001): 274,000 Number of homes awaiting assessment: 56,000 Number of homes where insulation-only measures provided or currently being assessed: 285,000 Current average waiting time between application and installation: 71 days{1} Total cost of the scheme (June 2000 to December 2001): £193 million {1} Measured from date of call with respect of telephone applications, from date of receipt in case of postal applications or from date of e-mail. There is usually a period of 1-8 weeks between the date of actual installation and the receipt of the invoice from installers. The introduction of the radically improved Home Energy Efficiency Scheme in June 2000 represented a difficult challenge for both scheme managers. The national shortage of gas heating engineers has led to severe delays in some areas in the installation and repair of central heating systems. Both scheme managers have worked hard to recruit installers and to improve the quality of service provided to householders. The Department continues to maintain a close watch on their performance.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

24951; 378 c474-5W;378 c470-1W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Applications Costs Conservation Administrative delays Energy Households Grants Insulation Heating Warm front scheme Standards Take-up EAGA

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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