MP fights fuel poverty

THE progress of a campaign by Peacehaven and Telscombe's MP Des Turner to wipe out fuel poverty is hotting up.

A Bill by the MP aims to give teeth to existing energy conservation legislation. It will guarantee local authorities use cash to ensure warmer homes and achieve energy conservation targets.

The Bill will also guarantee a level playing field for all types of housing by making it compulsory for bedsits in Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) to meet minimum energy efficiency standards.

Dr Turner said: 'Good landlords have nothing to fear from my Bill. But some HMOs combine poor quality housing with fuel-poor tenants, and these can be death traps.

'The time is right 1995 targets of 30 per cent improvement in domestic energy efficiency by 2010 will be missed if my Bill is not enacted this session.'

If the third reading of Dr Turner's Bill is successful it will then progress to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.

The MP also launched a national energy debate in the House of Commons last week.

He said: 'Wave and tidal energy alone could supply twice as much electrical energy as we currently use.

'If the Government gives determined support to renewable energy, sufficient capacity could be in place by 2020 to achieve its stated objective of providing safe, clean and steady power supplies without CO2 emissions.'