Warm Homes Plan

18 Mar

Question

Warm Homes Plan

The Question session in the House of Commons focused on the Labour proposed 'Warm Homes Plan,' aimed at enhancing energy efficiency and addressing fuel poverty. The session highlighted several pressing concerns about the execution and impact of current and future policies. The debate featured significant contributions from Labour MP Euan Stainbank, who questioned the government's strategy and stressed the historical failures of energy policies that continue to affect his constituents. Debbie Abrahams, also from Labour, inquired about immediate support for families struggling with bills, leading to a discussion about interim measures allocated by the government.

£1.8 billion

Allocated to local authorities and social housing providers for energy efficiency improvements.

Debate proceedings saw Ed Miliband, taking a focal role, detailing initiatives like extending the warm homes discount and emphasizing revenue allocated to local authorities. An exchange with Tim Farron from the Liberal Democrats introduced concerns regarding energy performance standards in rented accommodation compared to short-term lets and second homes. It broke down the socioeconomic implications of such disparities contributing to housing shortages in local communities.

5 million homes

Targeted for upgrades with heat pumps, solar panels, and insulation under the Warm Homes Plan.

Overall, the session aimed to scrutinize government commitments to combat fuel poverty and promote energy efficiency through a £1.8 billion fund and raised important future policy considerations.

2.7 million families

To benefit from the extended warm homes discount in the upcoming winter.

£500 million

Launched to assist families with energy bills this winter.

Outcome

The Question session underscored the Labour Party's commitment to tackling fuel poverty and energy costs through legislative measures and investments in energy efficiency. The debate concluded with an emphasis on holding entities accountable while seeking effective regulatory measures.

Commitments included further consultation on energy efficiency encompassing diverse accommodation types, with particular attention to addressing the disparity between long-term rentals and short-term lets.

Key Contributions

Euan StainbankMP

Labour

Raised concerns about the historical failures impacting constituents' energy efficiency, stressing issues such as high costs and inadequate infrastructure.

Debbie AbrahamsMP

Labour

Her contributions emanated from stressing the necessity for immediate governmental measures to assist current family struggles with energy payments.

Ed MilibandMP

Labour

Outlined government strategies to extend the warm homes discount, corroborating commitment to combat fuel poverty.

Tim FarronMP

Liberal Democrats

Brought attention to the potential impact of upgraded energy performance standards in rentals compared to short-term lets and ownership, hinting at broader socio-economic effects.

Original Transcript

Euan Stainbank

Falkirk

Lab

Question

UIN: 903229

1. What steps he is taking to introduce the warm homes plan.

Debbie Abrahams

Oldham East and Saddleworth

Lab

Question

UIN: 903250

21. What steps he is taking to introduce the warm homes plan.

The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

Ed Miliband

Our warm homes plan will upgrade up to 5 million homes with technologies such as heat pumps, solar panels and insulation, helping families to lower bills and improve their homes. Last week we allocated £1.

8 billion to local authorities and social housing providers to help low-income households and social housing tenants. We will publish further plans following the spending review.

Ed Miliband

My hon. Friend raises a number of important issues. It is about having a tough regulator in Ofgem, it is about smart meters that work, and it is about every decision the Government take seeking to tackle fuel poverty.

That is why I was incredibly pleased that we announced the extension of the warm homes discount to an extra 2.7 million families, with an extra £150 next winter to help families. That is what this Labour Government are all about.

Debbie Abrahams

I welcome the energy efficiency measures that my right hon. Friend mentions, which will really make a difference to many families in the future, but what can the Government and energy providers do to help families struggling to pay their energy bills today?

Ed Miliband

11:30

My hon. Friend speaks with great expertise about these issues. She will know that the Minister for Energy Consumers, my hon. Friend the Member for Peckham (Miatta Fahnbulleh), put in place with the energy companies £500 million this winter to help families struggling with their bills.

We also want to see Ofgem proceed with the plan to relieve the debts that many families face, because the debt overhang from the cost of living crisis that we saw after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine still blights many families in our country.

If we move forward on all those fronts, we can tackle these issues.

Tim Farron

Westmorland and Lonsdale

I strongly support all efforts to increase energy efficiency and bring down bills.

Is the Secretary of State concerned about the potential unforeseen consequences of raising the minimum level of energy performance certificates to C for long-term rented accommodation but not doing so for short-term lets and owned properties?

Will that not create an incentive in communities such as ours for people to go to Airbnb or second home ownership, rather than providing affordable homes for local people?

Ed Miliband

The hon. Gentleman raises an important issue. I believe I am right in saying—I was checking with the Minister for Energy Consumers—that as part of the consultation on energy efficiency, we are looking at the issue of short-term lets, which has been raised in the past.

He is right to draw attention to what we are doing here, because this measure, which the last Government proposed and then backed away from—a pattern we are seeing quite a lot at the moment—will take up to 1 million families out of poverty.

It is a basic principle: if someone is renting a home and they pay their rent on time, they have a right to live in decent, warm accommodation.

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