Member News
Today politicians have a fantastic opportunity to make a positive change and lift many people out of desperate situations. I don't want a single extra person to die of cold in their homes in years to come in a supposedly affluent country like Britain
David Heath
Liberal Democrat MP David Heath outlines the issues behind his Fuel Poverty Bill, which was debated in the Commons on Friday.
If you could pass a Bill in Parliament which could save lives, help the poorest people in Britain, help in the fight against climate change, and what's more create jobs in a recession, wouldn't you think that would be worthwhile?
I do, so when I was lucky enough to come second in the annual ballot for Private Members' Bills I decided to take the Fuel Poverty Bill through Parliament.
It is a tragedy that 20,000 people needlessly die from the cold each year, and many more become ill. It is a cruel society when hard-pressed families have to make the choice between feeding their children and keeping their home warm.
And yet that is what we face in Britain today, with fuel prices more than doubled over five years and many homes poorly insulated so that energy is wasted.
Fuel poverty affects so many people, and it is often difficult to work out who is fuel poor and who isn't.
However, the likely victims are some of the most vulnerable in our society; people who are older, terminally ill, disabled, indebted or unemployed, and families that are large, on low incomes, or with one parent.
We need to:
- Require the government to introduce a strategy to get every home in fuel poverty up to standard by 2016.
- Introduce social tariffs to cut fuel bills for the poorest families.
What will that do? It will make a direct difference to millions of people, both in cities and rural areas, who struggle to heat their homes.
It will mean fewer people face illness or death from cold and damp. It means we will help to reduce the wastage of energy which contributes to climate change. And it will produce work for thousands of builders and insulators at a time when they desperately need it.
My Bill has the support of a wide range of organisations, including Consumer Focus, Association for the Conservation of Energy, Age Concern, Help the Aged, Child Poverty Action Group, Disability Alliance, Friends of the Earth, National Right to Fuel Campaign, the Centre for Sustainable Energy, Sustainable Energy Partnership, Unison, Sera, Counsel and Care, Compass, the Association of Charity Officers, NCT and the GMB.
It is picking up support from local councils and groups across the country and has cut across political divides, with wide cross-party support.
Today politicians have a fantastic opportunity to make a positive change and lift many people out of desperate situations. I don't want a single extra person to die of cold in their homes in years to come in a supposedly affluent country like Britain.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd
Trevor hewitt
10th Apr 2010 at 2:33 pm