UK Parliament / Open data

Energy Bill

My Lords, I thank everybody in the Committee for their unconditional support. I recognise that the Minister realises the importance of this. I will warmly welcome officials from her department to our All-Party Parliamentary Group, as will my co-chair, the noble Baroness, Lady Maddock.

This is the second Energy Bill that we have put this amendment down on. We have explained previously why this presents a unique opportunity. It would be a dereliction of our duty to the nation not to use this opportunity to widen the scope of protection from the pockets of protection that are there.

I do not know how any of us could accept not putting this in the Bill and then look the bereaved in the face. These are young people dying. I will tell the Committee about two boys: one went up to university; a year later his brother went to the same university so that his older brother would be there to look after him. They found a flat; the second night in that flat it was cold and they put the heating on. They did not wake up the next morning—two bright, much loved university students dead because their landlord had a faulty appliance there and there was no alarm. An audible alarm costing less than £20 would have saved both their lives. That is why this is so important.

I hope that the Minister will meet with us very soon. I would really welcome getting some wording, whatever it is, to signal that this is a major problem that needs to be addressed. The regulations can follow but we really should not let it drop. I accept that the wording here is not right. With that and with gratitude, I withdraw the amendment.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

747 c155GC 

Session

2013-14

Chamber / Committee

House of Lords Grand Committee
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