When the rules governing the central heating initiative will be published, what the results were of home energy efficiency schemes in 1999-…

The rules governing the central heating programme will be published tomorrow.In 1999/2000 47,000 low-income households benefited from government-funded home energy efficiency schemes. Their homes were insulated, and the householders given energy advice, resulting in a range of savings. The Warm Deal for owner occupiers resulted in average annual savings of around £90 and reductions in CO2 emissions of 1.1 tonnes per dwelling. A full report for 1999/2000 will be published shortly and made widely available.Home insulation leads to substantially lower fuel bills which can either be taken as savings or used to provide more warmth at the same cost. It helps combat condensation damp and so threats to health, and to the condition of the housing stock, are reduced. Reductions in CO2 emissions help combat the threat of global warming.The new programme combines home insulation and central heating and so the benefits described will be increased. The central heating programme will be central to our plans to tackle fuel poverty and help Scotland's most vulnerable households.