Oral Answers to Questions

Chi Onwurah Excerpts

Thursday 16th December 2010 Commons Chamber

[Gregory Barker]

There will certainly be scope for heating systems to be included in the green deal. We want the green deal to be as technology-inclusive as possible, and we want to drive innovation. Any energy efficiency measure that costs less to install than it pays back over a specified period will be eligible. That includes heating measures.

[Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)]

22. If he will assess the effect of recent winter weather on the heating bills of the elderly and others in the Newcastle upon Tyne Central constituency.

[The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker)]

Local area energy data are produced on an annual basis covering all homes in a local area. As such, it is not possible to assess short-term changes in energy consumption by specific household types. However, the latest information suggests that eligible households in the Newcastle upon Tyne Central constituency have received between one and three cold weather payments so far this winter.

[Chi Onwurah]

This week, Eaga—the green energy company that is headquartered in Newcastle—placed 1,400 people on notice of redundancy as a direct result of the 70% cuts to the Warm Front programme that the Government have implemented. Considering 18% of Newcastle constituents live in fuel poverty, will Newcastle not suffer twice over as a result of the Government’s approach to fuel poverty?

[Gregory Barker]

I am very sorry to hear about the redundancies at Eaga. That is very regrettable. Eaga still has to fulfil about 70,000 jobs this winter, between now and the end of the financial year. However, we need to get more investment into the energy efficiency sector in the long term, which means opening it up to the private sector and getting in billions not hundreds of millions. The green deal is the way forward to achieve that.

--- Later in debate ---

[Chris Huhne]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his question about the siting of the bank, but that is a little premature given where we are at the moment. I am afraid that quite a long list of hon. Friends and others are advocating the benefits of that to their constituencies.

Capital endowment of £1 billion for a green investment bank was allocated in the comprehensive spending review in 2013-14. I have made it clear that we are continuing to look for asset sales. In our Department, we are looking for asset sales from URENCO, for example, but there are other asset sales across Government that could also be used. We will attempt to use that process to ensure that the institution has the proper endowment of capital necessary for its task.

[Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)]

T2. The green deal is based on loans, which many of my constituents cannot afford, and it places the responsibility for tackling fuel poverty in the hands of the energy companies that have created a national rise in fuel bills of 139% since 2003. Will the Secretary of State explain how the green deal will help the poorest and most vulnerable in my constituency?

[Chris Huhne]

I am happy to answer the hon. Lady, because her question is based on a misunderstanding of the green deal. There is no requirement for anybody to take out personal finance to fund the green deal. The whole point is that finance will be provided for the householder. The company that provides the finance will recoup its return from the householder’s savings on their energy bills. In addition, we will reshape the carbon emissions reduction target and community energy saving programme obligations on energy suppliers into an eco-obligation, one of the key objectives of which will be to provide additional support to those in fuel poverty. Such people will therefore be able to go ahead with the green deal, even if the anticipated savings on their bills are not adequate to pay for the installation.