To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what effect the planned changes to the carbon dioxide emissions reduction target announced on 12 February 2009 will have on achievement of the Government’s target of insulating cavity walls. (270558)

The central proposal in the CERT amendment consultation of February 2009 is for a 20 per cent. increase to the carbon saving obligation on energy suppliers, to set an enhanced ambition of 185 MtCO₂ by March 2011. As a market mechanism, it is at energy suppliers’ discretion how they choose to meet this more ambitious target. Insulation remains one of the most cost effective measures at their disposal to promote. Of suppliers’ savings towards their current targets in the first nine months of the scheme, 62 per cent. came from insulation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what target has been set for the number of (a) lofts and (b) cavity walls to be insulated in each of the next three years. (270559)

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced last year an ambition to insulate six million homes by 2011. Further to this, we proposed in the Heat and Energy Saving Strategy consultation to offer all homes the opportunity to have lofts and cavities insulated, where practicable, by 2015. However, we have not set annual targets for insulation or any other specific measure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many (a) lofts and (b) cavity walls have been insulated in each of the last three years. (270560)

The latest available full-year figures cover the three-year period of the Energy Efficiency Commitment (April 2005-March 2008). These show annual professional installation figures in thousands, as follows:

Additional lofts and cavities were insulated under the Warm Front Scheme and Decent Homes programme.