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Fuel Poverty Bill

The hon. Gentleman may have noticed that it was the will of the House that I have only just begun my speech, because so many Members wanted to contribute to the debate. I have an enormous number of questions to which to respond and, in addition, I want to make clear to the House what the Government are doing. Some—if not all—of the remarks that have been made today appear to be suggesting that we have not put our backs into the issue and that we are not determined to reach our goal of ending fuel poverty for all by 2016. I need time to explain those matters to the House. In response to the hon. Gentleman's point about amendment in Committee, we have made it clear to those who sponsored the Bill and advised on it that the duty was a key point. The promoter is very much aware of that. The provision was in the draft Bill, and when it was published—only at the end of last week—it was still there.