Ed Miliband comments on reports of funding cut to Green Homes Grant scheme

Ed Miliband MP, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, commenting on the Guardian report on funding cut from the Green Homes Grant scheme, said:

"This makes a mockery of the Government's commitments on climate change and a green recovery.

"It is outrageous that the Government is withdrawing funding promised to help insulate people's homes. They are denying homeowners the energy improvements they need, denying installers the work they need and denying the country the green transition we need.

"To top it all off, it is their own mismanagement of this programme that means only a fraction of this funding looks set to be spent.

"Ministers must make good on their funding promise and reverse this farcical decision by rolling all the underspend over into 2021."

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. The Guardian has reported today that underspend from the Green Homes Grant scheme in 2020/21 will not be rolled over into the next financial year, despite the Government saying they would extend the £1.5bn scheme to March 2022.
2. In response to a question from Catherine West MP, it has been revealed that only £71m of the £1.5bn promised in 2020/21 has been spent, meaning 95% of the funding has not been spent.
3. The Government allocated a separate £320m for the 2021/22 financial year, meaning that more than £1bn has been cut from the scheme.