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The Minister for Energy (Malcolm Wicks): The hon. Member for Bexhill and Battle (Gregory Barker) referred to the provisions as timid. I know what he means, in the sense that they try to introduce some modest steps, although I am bound to say to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, North and Leith (Mark Lazarowicz), who introduced the Bill, that they will represent a giant step forward in terms of microgeneration and the climate change agenda.

I have been reflecting on our lengthy discussions in Committee on the role of local authorities in tackling climate change and alleviating fuel poverty. During that interesting debate, it seemed to me that little of substance divided us. I certainly tried to strike the appropriate balance between central Government strategy and local authority responsibilities. I am keen that there should be no misunderstanding about the
 
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Government's commitment to supporting local councils on these issues, which is why I am introducing new clause 4.

New clause 4 places an obligation on the Secretary of State to publish a report on ways in which local authorities can improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and alleviate fuel poverty. Local authorities would then have to have regard to the report within the exercise of their existing functions. The report will in effect be a joint effort between all interested Departments.

As we heard in Committee, there are many examples of local authorities developing innovative policies to achieve real reductions in fuel poverty and greenhouse gas emissions. The work by Merton, Woking and my own borough of Croydon is well known in that regard. The report required by new clause 4 will help all local councils to learn from those exemplars. It will support them in developing their approaches to reducing carbon emissions and alleviating fuel poverty, giving them the flexibility to adopt the best local solutions for their communities. It has already been mentioned that the Local Government Association has indicated its broad support for a clause along these lines.

Mr. Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst) (Con): If the Minister is so happy about what is already being done by some local authorities, why do we need this additional legislation? If local authorities are already able to do what is needed, and if they have the necessary powers to do so, why do we need yet again to legislate for something that is already being done?

Malcolm Wicks: That is a good question. As I said in Committee, we are trying to get the balance right—[Interruption.] Well, I said it was a good question. The right hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Mr. Forth) should not shake his head. Others might shake their heads and think that it was not a good question, but I am in a compassionate mood at this early hour, although I might not be later. I share the Committee's judgment that the measure would be helpful. We are simply proposing that a report be considered by local authorities. There is growing interest in these matters among local authorities, and many would welcome this lead from the Government.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey) (Con): I apologise to the House, because I shall have to leave shortly to attend a memorial service.

I thank the Minister for the constructive way in which he has approached the Bill and the new clause. I congratulate the hon. Member for Edinburgh, North and Leith (Mark Lazarowicz) on introducing the Bill, of which I am a sponsor. I also congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle (Gregory Barker), who has worked tirelessly on it and on his new clauses, to make it a really good measure that will make a big difference in helping local authorities to address the problems of climate change and fuel poverty. I wish the Bill every success.

9.45 am

Malcolm Wicks: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his support for my hon. Friend's Bill. The different parties have worked hard on it, and it commands widespread support in the House.
 
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Government new clause 4 would not impose a new burden on local authorities, as it is framed in terms of existing powers and functions. I do not expect authorities to have to incur additional costs in having regard to the report, and the report would not impose any unfunded new burdens. In fact, it should help authorities to achieve more cost-effective ways of tackling climate change.

Mr. Chope: Why does the Minister's new clause let the Mayor of London off the hook by not including him, even though it would include the smallest parish council in the country?

Malcolm Wicks: The Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, Nicky Gavron, and the Greater London authority are taking the lead when it comes to climate change. The GLA is one of the exemplars in that regard; perhaps I should have mentioned it earlier. It is drawing heavily on the Woking experience in regard to its ambitions for Greater London.

Mr. Chope: The Greater London authority is specifically not included in the new clause.

Malcolm Wicks: Perhaps we could look at that. Given the powers that are there already, and given the wish expressed by the right hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst not to overburden local authorities with needless things, why do powers need to be in the Bill?

The enforcement of building regulations, the support and advice that local authorities give local businesses, community groups and individuals, and the quality of the housing and regeneration projects that they sponsor, are all important levers that local authorities have under their control, as is the planning system, which we discussed in Committee. The urgent review of local authority plans being carried out by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning will help us to establish whether local authorities are implementing planning policies in relation to renewable energy, as required by planning policy statement 22. I hope that hon. Members will support the new clause.

Mr. Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): On the question of planning powers, thousands of new houses are about to be built in Kettering. Were the local authority to insist that microgeneration measures be included in those development plans, only for that to be opposed by the applicant, and should the matter go to the Deputy Prime Minister on appeal, which way would the Government rule if the new clause had become part of the Bill?

Malcolm Wicks: That would be dealt with by the overall planning system. My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning has heard the hon. Gentleman's question. Perhaps she will find an ingenious way of noting the issue. That might be the best way of dealing with it.

We have tabled amendments Nos. 53 and 55, which are consequential amendments that will be required if new clause 4 becomes part of the Bill. Amendment (a) to new clause 4, and amendments Nos. 2, 14 and 21 all seek to remove references to fuel poverty. I do not wish to
 
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spend too much time on that, but for the record, let me explain why alleviating fuel poverty deserves to remain a key purpose of the Bill.

What we call fuel poverty—we can argue about the terminology—undoubtedly damages people's quality of life and imposes wider costs on the community. People who are struggling to afford to heat their homes might face difficult decisions between keeping warm and other basic necessities. They suffer an increased chance of ill health and find it more difficult to recover if they do fall ill. Fuel poverty imposes higher health costs and is a factor in the thousands of excess winter deaths each year, particularly among elderly people. It also contributes to social exclusion and affects children's education.

Mr. Jim Cunningham (Coventry, South) (Lab): As my hon. Friend probably knows, Coventry city council was probably one of the first local authorities to introduce energy conservation schemes. Is he satisfied with the level of grant available to authorities for such schemes?

Malcolm Wicks: I am satisfied with our development of measures such as the warm front programme, which has helped—I speak from memory—1 million households. There are equivalent programmes in Wales and Scotland. There is also the supply companies' obligation to take energy efficiency seriously, and there are the winter fuel payments, which are very popular with the elderly and arrive in December, which is important. I am confident about the armoury of measures that we are developing, but we probably need to do more.

It may be said that we use jargon when we talk of fuel poverty, but this country has a poor record historically when it comes to protecting vulnerable elderly people in winter. We should all be ashamed of that. I believe that we are moving in the right direction, but regardless of any arguments about terminology and jargon, there is no denying that even during mild winters, in Bromley, Croydon, Merton or anywhere else, some of our elders    die from cold-related conditions—respiratory conditions, for instance, or circulatory conditions such as heart disease. That is a real problem, and the House should not be in denial over its immensity. As I have said, I think that we are moving in the right direction, but as one who wrote a book about this subject in my youth, I feel strongly about it. I will not allow anyone to say that it is not a real issue, because it is.

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