Explain why (From Herald Series)

Explain why

9:00am Wednesday 1st April 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

Sir, A Liberal Democrat private member’s bill in the House of Commons on Fuel Poverty was ‘talked out’ by a Labour Government Minister last week, because there were not enough MPs in the house to ensure that the bill was voted through to the next stage.

Ed Vaizey, MP for Wantage and Didcot, was not present, though the Conservatives had said they supported the bill.

If the bill had been allowed to proceed, there was an excellent prospect of its passing into law, since quite a number of Labour MPs were prepared to defy their own Government and vote for it. One hundred votes in favour were needed last week. It failed by just eleven.

The bill had the support of Age Concern, Help the Aged, Child Poverty Action Group, Disability Alliance, Friends of the Earth, Centre for Sustainable Energy, Sustainable Energy Partnership and UNISON, among others.

It proposed steps to make homes more energy-efficient and would have forced energy companies to offer their lowest tariffs to the most vulnerable households.

Official estimates indicate there are over 6,000 people in Wantage and Didcot constituency who suffer Fuel Poverty. Some of those people have to decide day to day between heating and eating. Mr Vaizey owes them an explanation.

Alan Armitage Wantage and Didcot Liberal Democrats

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)