To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward fiscal measures to assist householders living in older housing stock to insulate their homes to reduce energy wastage and carbon emissions. (130369)

I have been asked to reply.

DEFRA funds the Energy Saving Trust which works to increase demand for energy efficiency through raising awareness and providing advice and support for action by householders. In addition, the Energy Efficiency Commitment has placed an obligation on energy suppliers to promote improvements in household energy efficiency.

Since its launch in June 2000, the Warm Front Scheme has assisted over 1.2 million households in fuel poverty in England, mainly through energy efficiency measures, including loft and cavity wall insulation.

Fuel poverty is a devolved matter and, in Wales, the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) funds insulation and heating measures in order to reduce fuel bills and improve domestic energy efficiency.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will offer fiscal incentives to those on low incomes to encourage the use of low energy light bulbs. (130491)

Support is available for the purchases of low energy light bulbs under the Government’s Energy Efficiency Commitment, which will have provided 40 million bulbs to consumers by 2008, and through the Warm Front Scheme for vulnerable households.

Our existing European agreements prevent us from reducing the VAT rate on low energy light bulbs. However, to encourage the purchase of such bulbs and to reduce their upfront cost, the Chancellor has written to European Finance Ministers and the European Commission to recommend the introduction of a reduced VAT rate for energy efficient products.