Fuel Poverty: North-West

Mr. Evans
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to reduce levels of fuel poverty in (a) the North-West and (b) Lancashire.

Joan Ruddock
[holding answer 5 June 2009]: Warm Front is the Government’s main scheme for tackling fuel poverty and, since 2005, has spent approximately £230 million on a range of energy efficiency measures in the North West region, including insulation and full central heating systems. Data are not available on a county basis.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change is responsible for national programmes aimed at reducing fuel poverty. The combination of Warm Front, CERT and Decent Homes and local programmes delivered through local government, partnerships, energy suppliers, Eaga and NEA (such as Warm Zones and CEEF) are all important in tackling fuel poverty across regions of England.