Brooks supports crucial climate change Bill and slams Government's fuel poverty record

On Friday a crucial Bill to help in the fight against climate change passed its final hurdle in the House of Commons. On Friday a crucial Bill to help in the fight against climate change passed its final hurdle in the House of Commons.

The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill, which has attracted cross-party support from MPs, is now one step closer to becoming law.

Speaking during the debate Brooks said, "I speak in support of the Bill because it represents another valuable attempt to focus our collective attention on the most important issue of our day, but it will also achieve practical results."

The Bill will introduce reforms aimed at encouraging homeowners to make use of new energy efficiency technology. It will also impose a duty on the Government to produce targets and guidance for the use of the new technology which local authorities must have regard to when carrying out their duties.

But some Councils have already taken action independently of the Government, Brooks said, "Braintree district council has been participating in a pilot scheme that offers a council tax rebate in return for the installation of cavity-wall insulation, and 15 other councils have so far followed Braintree's example. I congratulate the council on that initiative."

Continuing on the subject of Council Tax, Brooks also drew attention to the hardship faced by many pensioners who are trapped in fuel poverty. He said, "this year pensioners lost the £200 that they received last year, even though fuel prices went up by 37 per cent. There was a double whammy-fuel prices went up, but pensioners' council tax rebate was £200 lower."

In a heated exchange with the Chancellor of the Exchequer last month Brooks called 2005's pre-election Council Tax rebate for pensioners "a political bribe".

He reminded the Chancellor that, "Council taxes have gone up, so in essence pensioners are not only worse off this year to the tune of fuel price increases, because you know about fuel poverty, they are also worse off because they do not have the £200 extra that they expected."