FUEL POVERTY SHOULD BE A THING OF THE PAST
March 20, 2009 2:34 PM
Today [Friday 20th March], local MP Nick Harvey showed his commitment to ending fuel poverty by voting in favour of a new Private Member's Bill in the House of Commons.
The Bill, presented by Liberal Democrat MP David Heath, wanted to see the introduction of a major energy efficiency programme to help insulate homes and help over 3.5million households across the country out of fuel poverty. There are thousands of needless deaths each year as a result of cold homes, particularly among the elderly and most vulnerable.
In North Devon alone over 7,000 households are considered fuel poor, which amounts to over 18.5% of local homes.
Commenting on the Bill, Nick Harvey MP said:
"No one should have to face poverty just to keep their homes warm yet thousands of people across North Devon have suffered as a result of sky high fuel bills which have left them without heating over the winter months.
The Government has failed to wake up to this very real problem and has missed genuine opportunities to address an issue that would not be out of place in Dickensian times.
This bill provided an opportunity for real change; to look after the elderly and most vulnerable, prevent needless deaths each year and bring thousands of homes out of fuel poverty.
Although it may have been defeated by the Government, we will not give up our fight to make fuel poverty a thing of the past."
FURTHER INFORMATION
1. A household is said to be in fuel poverty if it needs to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel to maintain a satisfactory heating regime (usually 21 degrees for the main living area, and 18 degrees for other occupied rooms).
2. The Government statistics can be found in the BERR report Fuel Poverty Statistics. Background Indicators, 2008. Annex to fuel poverty strategy report, 2008.
3. The Bill has wide cross-party support. An Early Day Motion in support of David Heath's Bill was tabled by Labour MP Alan Simpson. The EDM, which was tabled last week, has gained the support of 168 MPs. To see EDM 1069, in support of the Fuel Poverty Bill please see: <<a href="http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMList.aspx">http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMList.aspx>
4. For the text of the Bill, please see: <<a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmbills/011/2009011.pdf">http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmbills/011/2009011.pdf>
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