To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to tackle the effect of noise pollution from SMETS 2 meters on the readability by Arquiva communications systems.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to tackle the effect of noise pollution from SMETS 2 meters on the readability by Arquiva communications systems.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the increase the noise threshold for SMETS 2 metres from 7 decibels to 17 decibels on the readability of such metres by the Arquiva communications system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the increase the noise threshold for SMETS 2 metres from 7 decibels to 17 decibels on the readability of such metres by the Arquiva communications system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many SMETS 2 pre-payment meters have been installed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many SMETS 2 pre-payment meters have been installed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of SMETS 2 prepayment meters that will have been installed by the end date for the installment of SMETS 1 prepayment meters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of SMETS 2 prepayment meters that will have been installed by the end date for the installment of SMETS 1 prepayment meters.

I. Letter dated 20/12/2018 from Claire Perry MP to the Deposited Papers Clerk regarding a document for deposit in the House libraries. 1p. II. Smart metering implementation programme: progress report for 2018. 40p.

I. Letter dated 20/12/2018 from Claire Perry MP to the Deposited Papers Clerk regarding a document for deposit in the House libraries. 1p. II. Smart metering implementation programme: progress report for 2018. 40p.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered fuel poverty.

I hope that no Members will leave the Chamber during such an important debate. I have just spilt a glass of water over the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and I apologise. [Interruption.] Yes, it is not...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered fuel poverty.

I hope that no Members will leave the Chamber during such an important debate. I have just spilt a glass of water over the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and I apologise. [Interruption.] Yes, it is not...

I am afraid that the Minister cannot expect quite so much grace and dignity from me—I apologise. To be serious, there is good reason to be deeply concerned about the fuel poverty statistics because we have just heard from the Office for National Statistics that last winter, the figure for...

I am afraid that the Minister cannot expect quite so much grace and dignity from me—I apologise. To be serious, there is good reason to be deeply concerned about the fuel poverty statistics because we have just heard from the Office for National Statistics that last winter, the figure for...

I would ascribe grace and dignity to the hon. Lady’s usual contributions. This is a serious matter. The hon. Lady is right that last winter’s severely cold weather included wind-chill factors of minus 10° C and I accept what she says about the statistics. However, I do not accept her...

I would ascribe grace and dignity to the hon. Lady’s usual contributions. This is a serious matter. The hon. Lady is right that last winter’s severely cold weather included wind-chill factors of minus 10° C and I accept what she says about the statistics. However, I do not accept her...

I hope that the Minister will say something about rural areas. Fuel poverty is one of the biggest problems for rural areas because of the nature of the properties, which are often older, with older people living in them, but also because the schemes do not reach them. In particular,...

I hope that the Minister will say something about rural areas. Fuel poverty is one of the biggest problems for rural areas because of the nature of the properties, which are often older, with older people living in them, but also because the schemes do not reach them. In particular,...

I will indeed mention that. Various groups have lobbied all Members of Parliament to contribute to the debate and I agree with the basis of what they say.

It is also fair to say that fuel poverty is a devolved matter and that the debate originates from the fuel poverty strategy...

I will indeed mention that. Various groups have lobbied all Members of Parliament to contribute to the debate and I agree with the basis of what they say.

It is also fair to say that fuel poverty is a devolved matter and that the debate originates from the fuel poverty strategy...

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

If the hon. Lady gives me a second, I hope that I will mention the point that she was about to make. Fuel poverty is a problem across the United Kingdom. I am sure that we all have constituents who struggle to keep their homes warm during the winter. The...

If the hon. Lady gives me a second, I hope that I will mention the point that she was about to make. Fuel poverty is a problem across the United Kingdom. I am sure that we all have constituents who struggle to keep their homes warm during the winter. The...

The Minister has said that measures to tackle fuel poverty have been devolved. The real drivers of fuel poverty are the high cost of fuel—the tax on which is reserved, as he knows—and, of course, people simply not having enough money. We know about the hardship that universal credit is...

The Minister has said that measures to tackle fuel poverty have been devolved. The real drivers of fuel poverty are the high cost of fuel—the tax on which is reserved, as he knows—and, of course, people simply not having enough money. We know about the hardship that universal credit is...

I agree with the hon. Lady. The Government have many different strategies, and energy efficiency measures are one of them. The importance of working together with the devolved authorities on this issue was never in more evidence than during last winter’s beast from the east—I see the hon. Member for...

I agree with the hon. Lady. The Government have many different strategies, and energy efficiency measures are one of them. The importance of working together with the devolved authorities on this issue was never in more evidence than during last winter’s beast from the east—I see the hon. Member for...

I do not know how the Minister can say he has put in place something that is so ambitious when no public funds are going into domestic fuel poverty and energy efficiency, for the first time in years. In the past we had Warm Front and other schemes, but right...

I do not know how the Minister can say he has put in place something that is so ambitious when no public funds are going into domestic fuel poverty and energy efficiency, for the first time in years. In the past we had Warm Front and other schemes, but right...

I respectfully disagree with the hon. Lady, and I will outline the £3 billion-worth of Government help.

Our 2017 clean growth strategy sets an ambition of improving as many homes as possible to energy performance certificate band C by 2035, wherever practical, cost-effective and affordable, but the truth is that the...

I respectfully disagree with the hon. Lady, and I will outline the £3 billion-worth of Government help.

Our 2017 clean growth strategy sets an ambition of improving as many homes as possible to energy performance certificate band C by 2035, wherever practical, cost-effective and affordable, but the truth is that the...

The ECO programme has been very successful indeed, but does my hon. Friend agree that it is not just the barrier technologies of insulation in roofs and better windows, doors and floors that makes a difference but the introduction of clean tech in homes? Clean tech can often deliver significant...

The ECO programme has been very successful indeed, but does my hon. Friend agree that it is not just the barrier technologies of insulation in roofs and better windows, doors and floors that makes a difference but the introduction of clean tech in homes? Clean tech can often deliver significant...

As usual, my hon. Friend is well informed and well spoken on this subject. I share his hope, and he makes a significant point. I hope he will see this come to pass.

We are also clear that landlords should play a role in upgrading the energy efficiency of the properties...

As usual, my hon. Friend is well informed and well spoken on this subject. I share his hope, and he makes a significant point. I hope he will see this come to pass.

We are also clear that landlords should play a role in upgrading the energy efficiency of the properties...