Lib Dems call for massive investment in home insulation

7.06.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Aug 2008

Islington's Liberal Democrat councillors and campaigners are calling on local Labour MP Emily Thornberry to support a national campaign to raise £500 million from energy companies to fund a massive programme of home insulation.

A cross-party campaign organised by the Local Government Association is urging the Government to take more than £500 from the record profits of the six biggest energy companies to invest in a massive scheme to insulate half of all homes in England and Wales. In this first half of 2008 BP made a £6.7billion in profit - up 23%.

The Local Government Association hopes that the windfall tax would lift 500,000 people out of fuel poverty, knock £200 a year off the energy bills of ten million households, and cut domestic carbon emissions by 20%.

James Kempton: Lib Dems are fighting fuel poverty

James Kempton, the Liberal Democrat leader of Islington council, has written to the local Labour MPs to demand that they back the scheme and use the House of Commons to call on the Government to act.

Councillor Kempton commented:

"Fuel costs are rising and the energy companies are raking in record profits. This extra money should be used to lift the most needy people out of fuel poverty.

"Measures such as the winter allowance obviously help those who are particularly vulnerable, but dependency on Government hand-outs doesn't tackle the basic causes of fuel poverty. What is needed are long term measures to reduce energy use and improve the housing stock. A comprehensive drive to insulate homes is the long term solution we need.

"Islington's MPs should back this council's commitment to help people in fuel poverty, and actually do something in Parliament to get a fairer deal for Islington residents."

Bridget Fox, the Liberal Democrat shadow MP for Islington South & Finsbury added:

"I'm backing the Council's campaign to get a fairer deal for energy customers. Many Islington households are already paying over the odds for heating, while energy companies have benefited from a huge £9bn windfall, yet the Government does nothing to help: it's desperately unfair.

"We need action from the Government now so that local residents don't suffer more when winter comes."

NOTES:

1. Thousands of homes in Islington have already been fitted with new windows, insulation, and boilers as part of Decent Homes works.

2. Leisure Centres and community buildings are being helped to save money on their energy bills through the council's Climate Change Fund, which is paying for alternative energy installations and insulation.

3. More on the LGA campaign at http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=922450