‘Follow our lead and insulate UK homes to tackle the energy crisis’
A YORKSHIRE peer has suggested the Government should do more to improve energy efficiency in homes by mirroring a scheme previously rolled out in Kirklees.
Ahead of the Government’s publication of its energy strategy today, former council head and Liberal Democrat peer Kath Pinnock said tens of thousands of people took up their offer to improve their homes.
However, Boris Johnson has warned there is a “limit to the amount of taxpayers’ money” that can be put towards alleviating the cost of living pressures, as he admitted people are going to “face choices” about what they may or may not be able to afford.
Speaking to The Yorkshire Post yesterday, Baroness Pinnock said: “The Government ought to be thinking about short term help for the huge rise in fuel bills – both for travel and for home heating.
“They need to think about short-term help for folk there but have a long-term view of how they can help households.”
She suggested that there are interventions that could “easily” be arranged and reflected on a scheme that “offered free loft insulation and free cavity wall insulation where that was possible to every household in Kirklees.
“Nearly 100,000 took up the offer,” she added.
“We did that 15 years ago so that could be done again across the country, why not?”
Her comments came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We’re setting out bold plans to scale up and accelerate affordable, clean and secure energy made in Britain, for Britain – from new nuclear to offshore wind – in the decade ahead.
“This will reduce our dependence on power sources exposed to volatile international prices we cannot control, so we can enjoy greater energy self-sufficiency with cheaper bills.”
He said that a new government body, to be called Great British Nuclear, will be set up immediately to bring forward new projects, to be backed by substantial funding, and the Government will launch the £120m Future Nuclear Enabling Fund later this month.