Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of fuel poverty in (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England.

Energy efficiency is the most sustainable way to reduce fuel bills and tackle fuel poverty. Half of the England-wide £2 billion Green Homes Grant has been earmarked to provide low income, vulnerable and fuel poor households with energy efficiency and low carbon heating measures. Low income households can receive a voucher of up to £10,000 towards eligible measures. We are working with local authorities and local energy hubs to tackle fuel poverty across England through the £500 million Local Authority Delivery portion of the Green Homes Grant.

In addition, the Energy Company Obligation drives £640 million of investment in energy efficiency measures for low income, vulnerable and fuel poor households each year. Up to 25% of this funding is delivered through the Local Authority Flexible Eligibility portion of the scheme each year. More than 15,000 households in Coventry and nearly 150,000 households in the West Midlands have received energy efficiency measures through the Energy Company Obligation since 2013.