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Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Volume 490: debated on Friday 27 March 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect on levels of employment in the UK renewables sector of the withdrawal of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme phase 2. (254407)

The Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) phase 2 has not been withdrawn but closed to new applications for solar PV technology only. Solar thermal, biomass, ground source heat pumps and micro wind technologies continue to receive support through the programme. We believe that current incentives and wider measures to support small scale onsite energy technologies should continue to support the development of the sector.

LCBP Phase 2 is due to close at the end of June 2009. To date we have committed £33.2 million of the £50 million budget to support microgeneration installations in schools, public sector and local community groups. Although £33.2 million has been committed only £8.3 million has been spent. Much of the work is still to take place over the next 12 months leading up to the introduction of feed-in-tariffs in April 2010 and the renewable heat incentive in April 2011. We are also considering what further support can be made available in the intervening period.