A Bill to end the needless deaths of those living in Fuel Poverty will be debated in Parliament on Friday. The latest statistics from the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform estimate that from 2001 to 2006 a further 1 million households were been plunged into fuel poverty, bringing the number of fuel poor households to 3.5 million.
According to leading charity Help the Aged, an estimated 25,000 people die of fuel poverty related deaths in the UK every year. The Fuel Poverty Bill was brought to the House by Somerton and Frome MP David Heath with a view to ending this situation. The main aim of the bill is to eradicate fuel poverty by bringing in a major energy efficiency programme to 'fuel poverty proof' existing homes by bringing them up to the current energy efficiency levels enjoyed by modern homes. The Bill will also give the Secretary of State the power to mandate energy companies to create social tariffs to limit vulnerable households' exposure to high energy bills.
David said: "At present the government seem to be dragging their feet on the issue of fuel poverty. The Bill that I have put forward will mandate the government to put all their efforts into making this an evil of the past.
I am glad that colleagues across all parties have recognised that fuel poverty is an important issue. However it is support in the chamber on Friday which is vital to getting this bill passed."
