Stunell champions policies that slash electricity bills

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 22nd Sep 2003

A new plan to save energy and cut fuel poverty has been steered through by Local MP, Andrew Stunell. On Monday, he persuaded the Liberal Democrat Conference in Brighton to back policies that will slash VAT on energy-saving products from 17.5% to 5%, making it cheaper for people to save on energy and the environment.

Andrew Stunell's new policy paper, Conserving the Future, also aims to end the 35,000 winter pensioner deaths, providing energy-saving alternatives to the winter fuel allowance that could make homes permanently warmer.

A big boost to renewable energy production could see, Stockport homes with solar panels, generating more electricity than they could use and selling the rest back to the grid.

Andrew Stunell MP said:

"We want to bring in new measures that will help the most vulnerable people. Labour's record on fuel poverty is shameful. In the Stockport area alone, there are approximately 160 winter deaths a year. Quite simply, people are dying because they cannot afford to stay warm.

"This is a shocking indictment of past Governments of all parties, yet the Government have cut 22% off their funding for fuel poverty measures over the last three years.

"We want to bring in new measures that will make homes permanently warmer, with long-term savings on fuel bills year after year." ENDS