The Green Party Executive and the Green Party MEPs have written to the Rt Hon Margaret Beckett regarding DEFRA's review of Local Authority Energy Efficiency Activity.
They are very concerned by the suggestion in the paper of draft recommendations that the Home Energy Conservation Act targets be non statutory and indicative only. This is totally unacceptable and a complete climb-down on previous commitments from the government and its ministers.
There have been numerous statements from Michael Meacher calling for more robust targets and he has described current performance in this area as 'wholly inadequate'. It is totally inconsistent to now be recommending this downgrading. In opposition 16 Labour cabinet members voted for statutory targets.
The Green Party has requested for reassurance of the government's commitment
both to statutory HECA targets and to taking all action possible to ensure they
are included in DEFRA's recommendations.