Labour- All Talk and No Action on Fuel Poverty says Withington MP

3.07.00pm GMT Tue 24th Mar 2009

John Leech, MP for Withington, has expressed fury at the government moves to block a bill that could have helped alleviate fuel poverty.

The Fuel Poverty Bill was designed to offer assistance to those who have fallen into fuel poverty by providing help to improve household insulation and giving cheaper energy prices to the most in-need. However, Labour MPs deliberately prevented the bill from being passed in the in the House of Commons last Friday by prolonging the debate beyond its specified time-slot, thereby effectively killing off the bill.

John Leech said:

"I am deeply angered by the collapse of this bill. In my constituency almost 1 in 5 people are in fuel poverty. This bill could have helped these people to climb out of fuel poverty and would have made a real difference to their lives."

"Unfortunately, the government saw fit to delay the bill and have now effectively left it dead in the water. Yet the worst thing is that not a single Manchester Labour MP even bothered to turn up and support the bill".

<ENDS>

Notes to editors:

The Fuel Poverty Bill was a Private Member's Bill proposed by David Heath that had its second reading on the 20th of March. Details of the debate can be found at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090320/debtext/90320-0001.htm#09032039000002

A household is said to be in fuel poverty if it needs to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel to maintain a satisfactory heating regime (usually 21 degrees for the main living area, and 18 degrees for other occupied rooms).

Full national figures can be viewed on Consumer Focus's website at http://tinyurl.com/fuelpov. Find out more about the Fuel Poverty Bill at http://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk.

The 2009 figures for Manchester Withington show that an estimated 6372 households are in fuel poverty, which represents 17.7% of the constituency.

John Leech is running a campaign to enlist the support of the public to help push for fairer energy prices. Details of this can be attained by calling 0161 434 3334.