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Fuel Poverty

Volume 486: debated on Thursday 15 January 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what responsibility for policy on fuel poverty is retained by his Department following the establishment of the Department for Energy and Climate Change. (242883)

Responsibility for tackling fuel poverty now rests with the Department of Energy and Climate Change and, in line with general Government policy, the rural aspects of fuel poverty will be considered within the mainstream policy. Nevertheless, DEFRA continues to take a strong interest in this issue, as it does in all others affecting rural communities. In particular, we sponsor the Commission for Rural Communities which works closely with DECC and Ofgem on rural fuel poverty issues and which has set up a Fuel Poverty advisory group.