Amendments proposed to the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Bill, As Amended - continued	House of Commons
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Duties of Secretary of State

   

Mr David Maclean

NC11

To move the following Clause:—

    '.—(1) For the purpose of ensuring as far as possible that the homes of persons suffering from fuel poverty are able to be kept warm at reasonable cost it shall be the duty of the relevant authority to draw up and facilitate the carrying out of, over a period of fifteen years, a programme of action to provide at least 500,000 households per year with a comprehensive package of home insulation and other energy efficiency improvements.

    (2) The Secretary of State—

(a) shall consider any reports drawn up by an energy conservation authority pursuant to the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995; and

(b) may consult any persons whom he sees fit,

    when drawing up his programme of action pursuant to subsection (1) above.

    (3) The Secretary of State shall, as soon as is practicable after the programme of action has been drawn up—

(a) present it to both Houses of Parliament;

(b) cause debates to be held therein;

(c) after considering any points made during those debates amend the programme of action as he sees fit; and

(d) thereafter take such steps as in his opinion are necessary to carry out or ensure the carrying out of the programme of action.

    (4) Without prejudice to the generality, a programme of action pursuant to subsection (1) above may include—

(a) any action taken or proposed to be taken by an energy conservation authority pursuant to the Act of 1995;

(b) any steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 3(2)(b) of the Act of 1995;

(c) any steps taken by him to ensure that houses are given energy ratings when sold or let; and

(d) initiatives aimed at promoting the uptake of energy efficiency measures in the private rented sector.'.

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Mr David Maclean

45

Page     1,     line     5,     leave out Clause 1.

   

Mr Eric Forth

1

Page     1,     line     6     [Clause     1],     leave out 'twelve' and insert 'eighteen'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

2

Page     1,     line     8     [Clause     1],     leave out from 'ensuring' to end of line 10 and insert '—

(a) the progressive reduction of fuel poverty;

(b) the promotion of efficient use of energy in public sector domestic properties.'.

   

Mr David Amess

46

Page     1,     line     9     [Clause     1],     leave out from 'practicable' to end of line 10 and insert 'persons do not live in fuel poverty'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

3

Page     1,     line     10     [Clause     1],     leave out 'on lower incomes' and insert 'in fuel poverty'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

4

Page     1,     line     10     [Clause     1],     after 'kept', insert 'reasonably'.

   

Mr David Maclean

32

Page     1,     line     10     [Clause     1],     at end insert 'as defined by the Targets Authority'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

5

Page     1,     line     10     [Clause     1],     at end insert—

    '(1A) For the purposes of this section "households in fuel poverty" are those which need to spend 10 per cent. or more of their income to provide adequate heat and energy.'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

6

Page     1,     line     10     [Clause     1],     at end insert—

    '(1A) For the purposes of this section "kept reasonably warm" means where the main living room is heated to 21 degrees centigrade and other occupied rooms to 18 degrees centigrade.'.

   

Mr David Maclean

33

Page     1,     line     10     [Clause     1],     at end insert—

    '(1A) For the purpose of this Act "households on lower incomes" means households with a household income which is less than half the current average.'.

   

Mr David Maclean

34

Page     1,     line     10     [Clause     1],     at end insert—

    '(1A) For the purpose of this Act "efficient use of energy" may include the use of energy inefficiently provided that it comes from a renewable source.'.

   

Mr David Maclean

35

Page     1,     line     10     [Clause     1],     at end insert—

    '(1A) For the purpose of this Act "household income" means the combined income of all those living within the confines of a set dwelling.'.

   

Mr David Maclean

36

Page     1,     line     10     [Clause     1],     at end insert—

    '(1A) For the purpose of this Act "homes" mean flats, houses, boats, mobile homes (as within the meaning of Part I of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, disregarding the amendment made by section 13(2) of the Caravan Sites Act 1968).'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

7

Page     1,     line     12     [Clause     1],     after 'the', insert 'public sector'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

8

Page     1,     line     13     [Clause     1],     after 'specify', insert 'practical'.

   

Mr David Amess

47

Page     1,     line     13     [Clause     1],     after 'specify' insert 'a comprehensive package of'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

9

Page     1,     line     13     [Clause     1],     after 'specify', insert 'affordable'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

10

Page     1,     line     14     [Clause     1],     leave out 'appropriate equipment or' and insert 'a comprehensive package of home'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

11

Page     1,     line     17     [Clause     1],     leave out 'a target date' and insert 'target dates'.

   

Mr David Maclean

41

Page     1,     line     17     [Clause     1],     after 'date', insert ', which shall not be later than 15 years after the relevant commencement,'.

   

Mr David Amess

48

Page     1,     line     18     [Clause     1],     leave out from 'practicable' to end of line 19 and insert 'persons in England or Wales do not live in fuel poverty'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

12

Page     1,     line     18     [Clause     1],     after 'all', insert 'public sector'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

13

Page     1,     line     18     [Clause     1],     leave out 'on lower incomes' and insert 'in fuel poverty'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

14

Page     1,     line     18     [Clause     1],     leave out 'on lower incomes' and insert 'in receipt of benefit payments'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

15

Page     1,     line     19     [Clause     1],     after 'kept', insert 'reasonably'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

16

Page     1,     line     19     [Clause     1],     at end insert ', and

( ) provide a procedure for differentiating the characteristics and requirements of different regions.'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

17

Page     1,     line     19     [Clause     1],     at end insert ', and

( ) provide a definition of fuel poverty which will facilitate achievement of the objectives of section 1(1).'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

18

Page     1,     line     19     [Clause     1],     at end insert ', and

( ) as soon as is practical be laid before and debated by both Houses of Parliament.'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

19

Page     1,     line     19     [Clause     1],     at end insert—

    '(2A) The latest target dates set under section (1) shall be—

(a) establishment of the appropriate authority within six months of the commencement of this Act,

(b) approval and publication of the strategy within eighteen months of the commencement of this Act,

(c) reduction of the incidence of fuel poverty in the identified households as follows—

    (i) by one third within six years of the commencement of this Act,

    (ii) by two thirds within twelve years of the commencement of this Act,

    (iii) completely by fifteen years after the commencement of this Act.'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

20

Page     1,     line     19     [Clause     1],     at end insert—

    '(2A) The latest target dates set under section (1) shall be—

(a) approval and publication of the strategy within eighteen months of the commencement of this Act,

(b) reduction of the incidence of fuel poverty in the identified households as follows—

    (i) by one third within six years of the commencement of this Act,

    (ii) by two thirds within twelve years of the commencement of this Act,

    (iii) completely by fifteen years after the commencement of this Act.'.

   

Mr Eric Forth

21

Page     1,     line     19     [Clause     1],     at end insert—

    '(2A) For the purposes of section 1(2)(b) above "comprehensive package of home insulation" shall include the installation of—

(a) cavity wall insulation;

(b) loft insulation;

(c) under-floor insulation;

(d) draught-proofing.'.

   

Mr David Amess

49

Page     1,     line     19     [Clause     1],     at end insert—

    '( ) The target date specified under subsection (2)(d) must be not more than fifteen years after the date on which the strategy is published.'.

   

Mr David Amess

50

Page     1,     line     21     [Clause     1],     at end insert—

'( ) local authorities or associations of local authorities,

( ) persons appearing to the appropriate authority to represent the interests of persons living in fuel poverty,'.

Prepared 21 Jul 2000