To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of implications for his Department’s policies of the definition of zero-carbon used in proposed new buildings standards approved by the European Parliament. (278279)

[holding answer 8 June 2009]: An assessment has not been made of the amendments recently proposed by the European Parliament to the recast of the energy performance of buildings directive. The European Commission is considering the amendments and will adopt a position on them shortly. We will assess the implications of the position adopted by the Commission at that stage.

We are currently preparing a consultation document on the recast of the energy performance of buildings directive which is scheduled for publication in July 2009.