MP calls for Green Deal to be ripped up
CONSERVATIVE MP Peter Aldous yesterday called on the government to reassess the Green Deal financing scheme – after just 132 people signed up to the environmental scheme.
“The government moved very quickly to set up the Green Investment Bank,” said the MP for Waveney in Suffolk. “When you look at leveraging powers in Germany and Holland [in comparison], I say we do need to look again at that particular aspect of [the Green Deal]”.
The initiative – which was introduced by the government this year – offers loans to households who wish to install energy-efficient improvements.
But critics have branded the scheme a failure and claim that high interest rates are deterring people.
Official figures released last month show only 132 people had signed up to the programme, in contrast to a target of 10,000 people by the end of 2013 set by the minister for energy and climate change Greg Barker back in March. The government has spent over £16m on the scheme so far and has said that it expects the number of people signing up to rise during the winter.