Memorandum submitted by Fuel Poverty Advisory
Group (EEFP 03)
The Fuel Poverty Advisory Group (FPAG) is a
group of external members appointed by the Government (Defra/Berr).
Our job is to report on progress on fuel poverty in England and
on the additional policies that are needed to deliver the Government's
fuel poverty targets. The Group's membership and Terms of Reference
are attached as Appendix 1.
FPAG is pleased to have the possibility of helping
to devise the scope of the Enquiry. We would suggest that the
key question for the Committee to examine would be:
— What resources are needed for energy
efficiency from all the fuel poverty programmes in order to meet
the 2016 Fuel Poverty Statutory Target and what reductions in
fuel poverty would be secured by these programmes (and how much
would thus remain to be done by other policies especially on prices
and incomes)?
Other possible areas for investigation are set
out below:
— What should the relative sizes of
the main programmes be—Warm Front, CERT Social Obligation,
and Decent Homes in the Social Sector (and their successor policies).
— In 2006 over 40% of the households
in fuel poverty lived in solid wall dwellings. What is Defra doing
to stimulate developments in solid wall insulation technology?
— Defra is currently considering the
arrangements for suppliers' carbon reduction obligations post
2011. What kinds of social obligations should there be—to
replace the current Priority Group provisions of CERT?
— Many households in the Social Sector
living in Decent Homes remain in fuel poverty. What plans are
there for improving the energy efficiency of Social Housing post
2010?
— The costs of some of the specific
measures needed, e.g. solid wall insulation and newer technologies,
are likely to be high. In some cases in the private sector, contributions
might be needed. In this context what steps is Defra taking to
secure that equity release schemes are more suitable for relatively
small sums of money (e.g. £10,000) and to try to harness
equity release schemes for energy efficiency?
— What steps are being taken to ensure
that Warm Front and CERT (or its successor) are integrated, especially
post 2011?
— Some fuel poverty schemes being considered
post 2011 would give the supply companies an option to fulfil
a part or all of their social obligations by providing funds to
another organisation rather than carrying out the measures directly
themselves? This could, for example, help in the integration of
Warm Front and supply companies' programmes. It has been impossible
to find out clearly from the Treasury what types of schemes of
this nature would constitute public expenditure—and this
could be a stumbling block. It would be useful if the Committee
could help to secure clarification on this.
APPENDIX 1
MEMBERSHIP OF THE FUEL POVERTY ADVISORY GROUP
| Peter Lehmann | Chair
| |
| John Chesshire | Vice Chair
| Chair—Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes
|
| George Mayhew | Director of Corporate Affairs
| National Grid |
| Ian Peters | Commercial Director for British Gas Residential Energy
| Centrica Plc |
| Graham Kirby | Retail Regulation & Energy Policy Manager
| Powergen Retail Ltd |
| Jenny Saunders | Acting Chief Executive Officer
| National Energy Action |
| Kevin Miles | Chief Executive Officer
| CEO Npower Retail |
| Gill Owen | Chair | Public Utilities Access Forum
|
| Sarah Webb | Director of Policy and Practice
| Chartered Institute of Housing |
| Dr Noel Olsen | Public Health Physician Trustee
| National Heart Forum |
| Jerry Robson | Chairman |
Association for the Conservation of Energy |
| Mervyn Kohler | Head of Public Affairs
| Help the Aged |
| Jonathan Stearn | Head of Campaigns
| energywatch |
| David Pickles | Energy Agency Manager
| Local Government Association |
| John Clough | Chief Executive
| Eaga plc |
| Teresa Perchard | Director of Policy
| Citizens Advice |
| Eva Eisenschimmel | Chief Operating Officer
| EDF Energy |
TERMS OF
REFERENCE
The Fuel Poverty Advisory Group is an Advisory Non-Departmental
Public Body sponsored by Defra/Berr. Its primary task is to report
on the progress of delivery of the Government's Fuel Poverty Strategy
and to propose and implement improvements to regional or local
mechanisms for its delivery.
The role of the Group is:
— To consider and report on the effectiveness of
the current policies in delivering reductions in fuel poverty
and the case for greater co-ordination.
— To identify barriers to the delivery of reductions
in fuel poverty and to the development of effective partnerships,
and propose solutions.
— To consider and report on any additional policies
needed to deliver the Government's targets.
— To enthuse, and encourage, key players to tackle
fuel poverty.
— To consider and report on the results of the work
to monitor fuel poverty.
As will be seen, the Group consists of a wide range of organisations
with different views and this is one of its strengths. On many
of the issues there is a very large measure of agreement. On others
especially EEC and energy prices there are more differences and
the views in this report do not always therefore reflect the views
of individual members.
Fuel Poverty Advisory Group
March 2008
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