Lewisham MP kills off action on fuel poverty
March 22, 2009 5:09 PM
Lib Dem MP David Heath introduced the Fuel Poverty Bill to Parliament
A new law aimed at ending the needless deaths of those living in fuel poverty was killed off on Friday following opposition from Deptford MP and Government minister Joan Ruddock.
The Fuel Poverty Bill, a private member's bill introduced by Liberal Democrat MP David Heath, aimed to eradicate fuel poverty by bringing in a major energy efficiency programme and give the Secretary of State the power to limit vulnerable households' high energy bills.
David Heath MP said, "Sky high fuel bills left millions of people shivering in homes they could not afford to heat last winter."
The bill had widespread support among campaign groups involved with climate change and fighting poverty. There are an estimated 3.5 million households in fuel poverty in the UK, with around 25,000 elderly and vulnerable people likely to die this year because they can't afford to heat their homes. The official definition of fuel poverty is if 10% or more of a household income is spent on heating.
Deptford Member of Parliament Joan Ruddock was a strong advocate of tackling fuel poverty but now as a minister in the Department for Energy and Climate Change seems far less supportive.
The Government whips opposed the second reading of the Fuel Poverty Bill which consequently failed to win sufficient support to continue its passage through Parliament.
Lewisham Liberal Democrat Chris Maines says, "It is a disgrace. The Bill would have tackled poverty, unemployment and climate change all at once. Joan Ruddock and the Government have dragged their feet on this and each winter thousands will continue to die from a failure to keep warm."
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