The government is facing fresh criticism over its flagship energy efficiency policy, after a senior minister admitted no households have received Green Deal assessments for energy efficiency improvements since the policy launched last month.
Climate change minister Greg Barker
confirmed the figures late last week, but added that "a number of" appointments had been made for the in-property assessments, which are the first step for a homeowner seeking to take out a Green Deal loan for energy saving measures, such as insulation or a new boiler.
The government officially launched the legal framework for the Green Deal on 1 October, allowing homes and businesses to register for Green Deal assessments.
However, property owners will not be able to sign up to Green Deal financing packages until 28 January next year, allowing them to pay for the work through a levy on their energy bills.
Barker confirmed no Green Deal assessments have yet been completed in response to a parliamentary question from shadow climate change minister Luciana Berger.
But he also told Berger the Green Deal page on the government's new
gov.uk website had been viewed
38,543 times since it was launched in mid-October and insisted the scheme remained on track.
Then yesterday there was the web chat - reading through the Q and A session I must admit to not feeling to confident in a system that has such big promises - Sorry !