Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Energy Efficiency Measures: Installation

Tuesday 18 April 2023 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government supported the installation of around 968,100 energy efficiency measures in 2010.
  • In 2022, the Government supported the installation of around 8 million energy efficiency measures.
  • The Government have made progress: 47% of homes in England now have reached EPC C levels, up from 14% in 2010.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Clive Lewis Lab Norwich South
Energy Environment
Context

Inquired about the number and proportion of homes with energy efficiency measures installed in England.

Question

How many and what proportion of homes had energy efficiency measures installed in (a) 2010 and (b) 2022?

Answer from Andrew Bowie

The Government have made very good progress: 47% of homes in England have now reached the Government's 2035 target of achieving EPC C levels, up from 14% in 2010—a 133.7% increase. In 2010, the Government supported the installation of around 968,100 measures. In 2022, the Government supported the installation of around 204,000 energy efficiency measures in around 94,500 households.

Answered
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Q2 Daniel Zeichner Lab Cambridge
Energy Environment
Context

Critiqued the Government for a decrease in energy efficiency measures from a Labour scheme inherited in 2010.

Question

That is a very partial account of the story. The Minister will know that in 2010 the Government inherited a functioning scheme from the Labour Government that meant hundreds and hundreds of homes in my constituency, and possibly his, were being insulated. Come forward 10 years and what do we see: that scheme has absolutely crashed, so can the Minister tell us just how much that decade of Tory failure has cost our constituents?

Answer from Andrew Bowie

A decade of Tory failure? That is complete nonsense. We have had a 133.7% increase from 2010, when, by the way, we inherited a situation where only 14% of the country had EPC C levels. We are now at 47% and from 2010 to 2022 the Government supported the installation of around 8 million energy efficiency measures.

Partly answered

Not addressed: financial impact on constituents

How: Complete Nonsense

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Q3 Clive Lewis Lab Norwich South
Housing Local Government
Context

Referenced Norwich City Council's Goldsmith Street project as an example of sustainable housing and asked about Government support.

Question

I know Front Benchers have already expressed their commitment to local communities and local people driving our economy forwards to a sustainable transition and future. With that in mind, may I point them to my own local authority, Norwich City Council, and its Goldsmith Street award-winning council housing—safe, secure, affordable homes that it has built on a shoestring budget after millions of pounds of cuts to its budget? What conversations have Ministers had with the Chancellor to ensure other councils can drive this programme forward to ensure every street is like Goldsmith Street?

Answer from Andrew Bowie

We in this party and this Government support community-led initiatives just like the one the hon. Gentleman referenced and we are consulting on how we can further support community projects. I would be delighted to discuss that particular project with him in more detail in due course.

Not addressed: concrete discussions with Chancellor

How: Consulting On Support

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Q4 Andrew Bridgen Con
Energy
Context

Asked for details about the energy efficiency taskforce and its role.

Question

Will my hon. Friend outline how the energy efficiency taskforce will help support energy efficiency across the UK?

Answer from Andrew Bowie

The energy efficiency taskforce is committed to driving forward energy efficiency measures throughout the United Kingdom and, on that measure, I would be delighted to meet with him if he has any further ideas on how we can go even further and faster to drive forward energy efficiency measures across the country.

Partly answered

Not addressed: specific role of taskforce

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Q5 Richard Bacon Con
Housing Energy
Context

Praised Norwich City Council's Goldsmith Street project and inquired about the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities' role.

Question

I join my parliamentary neighbour, the hon. Member for Norwich South (Clive Lewis), in congratulating Norwich City Council on what it has done in Goldsmith Street. Is the Minister aware of what proportion of self-commissioned homes have the highest energy rating? Is he aware that triple glazing is almost standard in self-commissioned homes? What is he doing to encourage the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to have more self-commissioned homes?

Answer from Andrew Bowie

Before I go any further, I congratulate my hon. Friend on championing the self-build housing sector and that house building sector on doing what it can, moving so far and so fast, to improve energy efficiency measures across the buildings it has been producing over the past few years. Once again, as he is a subject matter expert, I would be delighted to meet him to discuss it in more detail in due course.

Not addressed: actions taken for self-commissioned homes

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