David Chadwick has called on the Government to do more to help people who are dependent on heating oil to keep their homes warm.
He said in a Westminster Hall debate on decarbonising homes that Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe has one of the highest levels of off-grid properties in the UK.
Video from parliamentlive.tv
He said in a Westminster Hall debate on decarbonising homes that Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe has one of the highest levels of off-grid properties in the UK.
Video from parliamentlive.tv
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00:00David Chadwick. I'd like to thank you for giving way and bringing forward this
00:03important debate. My constituency has one of the highest levels of off-grass grid
00:09properties in the UK, with over a third of my constituents dependent on heating
00:13oil to keep their homes warm. So does the Honourable Member agree with me that
00:18it's absolutely vital that the government bring forward plans to help
00:21off-grid homes decarbonise, not only to help the environment but to help bring
00:26their bills down too? I thank the Honourable Member for his intervention and I'm sure
00:33that the Minister will have more to say on this when she comes to her marks in
00:37response. To return to heat batteries, heat batteries in the UK currently face
00:44a significant disadvantage compared to heat pumps as they're not eligible for a
00:50grant under the boiler upgrade scheme. I know the Minister is continuing to look
00:54at how she can maximise the benefits of the scheme and I hope she will also look
00:59at whether new technologies like this can also be supported. Heat batteries are
01:05also not on the list of energy-saving materials that qualify for VAT
01:10reductions, unlike heat pumps. Considering extending VAT relief to heat
01:16batteries would help heat those 20% of homes currently missing out. I've written
01:22to the Chief Secretary to the Exchequer to ask him to consider reducing VAT for
01:27heat batteries and I hope that this is something that the Minister might work
01:31with him on considering. Barriers to networked ground-source heat pumps
01:37that use heat batteries also include planning considerations and the need to
01:42adopt a street-by-street approach that can upgrade hundreds of homes in one go.
01:48I know the Minister has already committed to changing planning rules for
01:52air-source heat pumps and I hope she will consider whether changes also need
01:56to be made for networked ground-source pumps and that she will include
02:00networked heat pumps allied with heat batteries in the forthcoming low-carbon
02:06flexibility roadmap that I know she's working on.
02:12To give certainty to British businesses investing in innovative technologies
02:18like heat batteries we need to ensure there are consistent heating
02:23requirements for new homes being built and I know she will shortly be bringing
02:27forward the new future home standard to end the scandal of gas boilers still
02:33being installed in new homes and I hope that the standard will include heat
02:39batteries and other emerging technologies.