Energy Bill

Page 91, line 1, at end insert—

“( )   The Authority must have regard to the effect on the environment of
activities connected with the conveyance of gas through pipes or with the
generation transmission distribution and supply of electricity.”

Insert the following new Clause—

“Fuel poverty

(1)   The Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000 is amended as
follows.

(2)   After section 1 insert—

“1A Objective for addressing fuel poverty: England

(1)   The Secretary of State must make regulations setting out an
objective for addressing the situation of persons in England who
live in fuel poverty.

(2)   The regulations must specify a target date for achieving the
objective.

(3)   Regulations under this section must be made by statutory
instrument; and a statutory instrument containing such regulations
may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid
before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

(4)   The Secretary of State must lay a draft of the instrument before each
House of Parliament within 6 months of the day on which section (Fuel Poverty) of the Energy Act 2013 comes into force.

“1B Strategy relating to fuel poverty: England

(1)   The Secretary of State must prepare and publish a strategy setting
out the Secretary of State’s policies for achieving the objective set
out in regulations under section 1A by the target date specified in
the regulations.

(2)   The strategy must be published within 6 months of the day on
which the first regulations under section 1A come into force.

(3)   The strategy must—

(a)   describe the households to which it applies,

(b)   specify a comprehensive package of measures for achieving
the objective by the target date, and

(c)   specify interim objectives to be achieved and target dates for
achieving them.

(4)   The Secretary of State must take such steps as are in the Secretary of
State’s opinion necessary to implement the strategy.

(5)   The Secretary of State must—

(a)   from time to time assess the impact of steps taken under
subsection (4) and the progress made in achieving the
objectives and meeting the target dates,

(b)   make any revision of the strategy which the Secretary of
State thinks appropriate in consequence of the assessment,

(c)   from time to time publish reports on such assessments.

(6)   If—

(a)   further regulations under section 1A are made revising an
objective or the target date for achieving it, and

(b)   the Secretary of State considers that changes to the strategy
are necessary or desirable as a result of those regulations,

the Secretary of State must revise the strategy within 6 months of
the day on which those regulations come into force.

(7)   If the Secretary of State revises the strategy, the Secretary of State
must publish the strategy as revised.

(8)   In preparing the strategy or any revision of the strategy, the
Secretary of State must consult—

(a)   local authorities or associations of local authorities,

(b)   persons appearing to the Secretary of State to represent the
interests of persons living in fuel poverty,

(c)   the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority, and

(d)   such other persons as the Secretary of State thinks fit.”

(3)   In section 2—

(a)   in the title, after “” insert “”;

poverty : Wales

(b)   in subsection (1), after “strategy” insert “as respects Wales”;

(c)   in subsection (2)(d), omit “England or”;

(d)   in subsection (8)—

(i)   in the definition of “the appropriate authority”, omit
paragraph (a), and

(ii)   in the definition of “the relevant commencement”, omit
paragraph (a).”

Page 108, line 30, at end insert—

“( )   Section (Fuel poverty) extends to England and Wales only.”

Page 109, line 18, at end insert—

“( )   section (Fuel poverty) (fuel poverty);”