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Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Bill

This is the text of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Bill, as presented to the House of Commons on 15th December 1999.

 
 
  
Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Bill
 
 
 
 
ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES
Clause 
1.Interpretation.
2.Duties of the appropriate authority.
3.Power to make regulations.
4.Saving.
5.Expenses.
6.Short title and extent.
 

 

 
 
A

B I L L

TO

Require the Secretary of State to draw up and facilitate the carrying out of a programme of action to provide households with a comprehensive package of home insulation, heating and other energy efficiency improvements for the purpose of reducing fuel poverty; to require the setting of targets for the achievement of that programme; and for connected purposes.

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-
 

Interpretation.     1. In this Act-
 
 
    "appropriate authority" means-
 
      (a) in relation to England, the Secretary of State, and
 
      (b) in relation to Wales, the National Assembly for Wales;
 
    "comprehensive package of home insulation, heating and other energy efficiency measures" includes the installation of products of which the appropriate authority is satisfied the sole or a major purpose is the improvement of energy efficiency in buildings;
 
    "fuel poverty" means the inability of a household to keep warm at reasonable cost.
Duties of the appropriate authority.     2. - (1) It shall be the duty of the appropriate authority to prepare and publish in a report within 12 months of this Act coming into force a strategy ("the strategy") and targets ("the targets") to ensure that as far as possible the homes of persons in fuel poverty are able to be kept warm at reasonable cost.
 
      (2) The strategy shall include-
 
 
    (a) measures which the appropriate authority believes are required to ensure the fitting of a comprehensive package of home insulation, heating and other energy efficiency measures to the homes of persons in fuel poverty;
 
    (b) measures which the appropriate authority believes are required to ensure that households in fuel poverty have access to appropriate fuel tariffs which encourage the efficient use of energy;
 
    (c) any other energy efficiency measures which in the opinion of the appropriate authority will reduce the extent of fuel poverty;
 
    (d) a description of those households to which the measures included in the strategy are to be applied.
      (3) The targets shall include a final target date ("the final target date") by which as far as is reasonably practicable no person will live in a home which cannot be kept warm at reasonable cost and shall also include at least one interim target.
 
      (4) In preparing a report under this section the appropriate authority shall consult-
 
 
    (a) such organisations as appear to it to represent-
 
      (i) local authorities,
 
      (ii) relevant utilities and utility regulators, and
 
      (iii) persons in fuel poverty;
 
    and
 
    (b) such other persons as it sees fit.
      (5) The appropriate authority shall as soon as is practicable after the publication of the report take such steps as are in its opinion necessary to implement the strategy and to meet the targets.
 
      (6) The appropriate authority shall from time to time until the final target date is reached assess the impact of actions under subsection (5) above and the progress made in reducing fuel poverty and shall lay the findings of any such assessment before Parliament.
 
      (7) The appropriate authority may as a result of carrying out an assessment under subsection (6) above make any amendments to the targets or to the strategy which it considers necessary and shall then publish the amended report and take such steps as are in its opinion necessary to implement it.
 
Power to make regulations.     3. - (1) The appropriate authority may subject to section 4 below make regulations by statutory instrument in order to assist with the carrying out of a programme of action under this Act.
 
      (2) Any such regulations made by the Secretary of State shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
 
Saving.     4. For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby stated that nothing in this Act shall be taken as conferring-
 
 
    (a) any power of entry;
 
    (b) any power to require any person to carry out works;
 
    (c) any power to require any person to leave his home; or
 
    (d) any exemption from or relaxation of Building Regulations affecting any works carried out pursuant to this Act.
Expenses.     5. There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament-
 
 
    (a) any expenses of the Secretary of State or of the National Assembly for Wales under this Act; and
 
    (b) any increase attributable to this Act in the sums payable under any other Act.
Short title and extent.     6. - (1) This Act may be cited as the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000.
 
      (2) This Act extends to England and Wales only.
 
 

 
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