Paice fails to Support Fuel Poverty Bill

6.52.54pm GMT Fri 27th Mar 2009

With households in his constituency facing huge energy bills following the cold spell of weather in February Liberal Democrats in South East Cambridgeshire are dismayed that James Paice MP failed to turn up in the House on Friday March 20 to support a parliamentary bill aimed at ending fuel poverty.

The measures in the bill had received the backing of many major charities and campaign groups, including Help the Aged, Friends of the Earth, Consumer Focus and the Association for the Conservation of Energy.

But the bill failed to pass its second reading because the government opposed it and were able to 'talk it out' using their allotted speaking slot at the end of the debate despite attempts by David Heath MP to stop the Minister from being able to do this by using a 'closure motion' to bring debate to a conclusion.

However the closure motion required 100 MPs to support it and only 91 MPs were present to support the bill.

Although 20 Conservative MPs were there Jim Paice MP was not present.

The Fuel Poverty Bill would have brought in two measures:

• A major energy efficiency programme to bring existing homes up to the current energy efficiency levels enjoyed by modern homes.

• Social tariffs to limit vulnerable households' exposure to high-energy bills.

Jonathan Chatfield Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for South East Cambridgeshire said:

"This bill would have made a real difference to pensioners and others on tight incomes struggling to pay their energy bills, as well as being good for the environment.

"The bill would also have provided a much-needed boost to the local construction industry struggling in the recession.

"I am very disappointed that our local MP failed to attend this debate. His local constituents will have expected him to show his support for this bill at such a difficult economic time."