11:00 Sarah Newton (Truro and Falmouth) (Con)

Greater use of data matching by Government to enable energy companies to target help where it is most needed will also help to heat more homes. Recent analysis by the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Department of Health suggests that warming up cold homes will prevent ill health that costs the NHS an estimated £15 million a year. In addition, there is research to show that warming up cold homes where children live could enable them to do better at school and help to close the academic attainment gap.

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11:08 The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker)

We also want to link ECO and the domestic renewable heat incentive, which will be launched in the next few weeks and will be an exciting development in the provision of innovative low-cost low-carbon technologies for those who are off the gas grid. It will present them with a genuine, viable alternative to very expensive heating oil. The launch of the renewable heat incentive next month will provide us with opportunities to broaden the offer to off-grid homes. My officials are working with the industry to identify opportunities to combine RHI and ECO and provide a better offer for those without access to up-front funding to install the new technologies. All that work sits alongside the regular round tables on off-grid chaired by the Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Michael Fallon). I would also like to mention that Community Energy Plus now plays a role in the inter-ministerial round table. Following a suggestion by hon. Members, Public Health England has also been included in those discussions.

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