ENERGY SAVING NOT YET ON TRACK

12.00.00am GMT Tue 25th Sep 2007

Hampshire households are still wasting hundreds of pounds each every year in lost heat and sky high energy bills, according to official figures revealed by Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne.

Energy consumption in the home is meant to be cut by 30 per cent between 1996 and 2011 according to the Home Energy Conservation Act of 1995, but the figures show that only 37 per cent of local authorities are on target.

"Southampton, Portsmouth, Eastleigh, Fareham and Basingstoke have all managed to save less than the 20 per cent necessary at this stage to meet the overall target. Hampshire's worse performer - Basingstoke and Dean - managed only 9.8 per cent.

"Hampshire's best performer was New Forest with a 26.9 per cent improvement in domestic energy efficiency" said Mr Huhne.

The Eastleigh MP pointed out that we may as well be standing outside the front door burning £50 notes for all the effort that is being made to curb energy waste. "Our average household energy bill is £385 a year more than the average bill in Sweden despite our much warmer winters" he said.

"Insulating our homes properly - with cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, double glazing - can save a small fortune!" said Chris.