LOCAL AUTHORITY ACTION ON FUEL POVERTY AND THE HOME ENERGY CONSERVATION ACT

That this House welcomes the statements by the Minister for Energy and Climate Change, the hon. Member for Bexhill and Battle, that he intends to revitalise the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA)by issuing guidance to local authorities pursuant to that Act to reinvigorate their efforts to tackle fuel poverty and energy efficiency; further welcomes his statement at the Micropower Conference last year that this guidance will cover ways in which to involve the whole community in activities to tackle climate change; and therefore supports the HECA Charter published by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition of 34 organisations which calls on the Minister to include in the guidance exhortations to local authorities to set targets for reducing fuel poverty and for improving energy efficiency, to produce Green Deal and eco delivery plans and set up referral networks to enable vulnerable and low income households to access these schemes, as well as suggestions as to how town and parish councils should be involved in assisting with the achievement of these objectives.