Lilian has led a debate in Parliame
nt on the effects of the Government’s changes to the Energy Company Obligation, which enabled British Gas to withdraw from the Nottingham Greener Housing solid wall insulation scheme in Clifton.
Up to 4,500 homes were set to benefit from the £20 million project funded by the energy giant. The Nottingham Greener Housing scheme – drawn up with the support of the Department of Energy and Climate Change – was proving a huge success and it was envisaged that other parts of Nottingham would also eventually benefit.
Speaking after the debate Lilian said:
“David Cameron made a panicked decision to change the Energy Company Obligation after Labour set out plans for real action to tackle the cost of living and promised to freeze gas and electricity prices until 2017. Under his policy no one will see their energy bills come down, but as a direct result of the change thousands of my constituents in Clifton stand to lose out.”
“Ministers are in denial about the impact their policy u-turn will have, not just in Clifton, but on more than 20,000 households in Nottingham living in hard-to-heat, solid wall homes who could have benefitted from its roll-out across the city. I wanted to put them straight.”
Lilian has been inundated with letters and emails from disappointed constituents who were set to benefit from the scheme, but are now missing out, and she used many of their stories to show ministers the impact of their decision.
Addressing the Energy Minister, Greg Barker, during the debate Lilian said:
“The feedback from residents was overwhelming. People told me that their homes were warm for the first time ever and that they were saving money and were excited about the improved appearance of the estate.
“The Energy Secretary’s statement on 2nd December prompted high anxiety in Clifton, and that anxiety turned to despair when British Gas used the opportunity of the Government’s policy change to pull out of the Clifton scheme.”
“Under the Government’s revised plans it will take 304 years to insulate every hard to treat home in the country...That simply is not good enough.”
ENDS