Thousands of 'green' jobs to be created by spending £150m insulating 60,000 homes

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 14:36 EST, 24 November 2008


Thousands of jobs are set to be created by speeding up moves to better insulate Britain’s housing stock.

An extra £100 million to be provided, with a further £50 million brought forward, to help 60,000 more households insulate their homes.

Mr Darling said the government would invest £535 million more quickly on energy efficiency, rail transport and environmental protection.

With the construction industry in trouble, Alistair Darling aims to create more than 10,000 jobs with schemes to improve the energy efficiency of private and social housing.

Jobs creation: The Chancellor is expected to announce plans to better insulate Britain's housing stock

Jobs creation: The Chancellor is expected to announce plans to better insulate Britain's housing stock

Action to achieve environmental goals remains a high priority for the Government in current economic circumstances.

The Pre-Budget Report contributes to meeting the UK's ambitious long-term environmental goals, while supporting low-carbon growth by:

  • introducing a green stimulus - ensuring part of the fiscal stimulus supports low-carbon growth and jobs by accelerating £535 million of capital spending on energy efficiency, rail transport, and adaptation measures;
  • successfully securing inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme from 2012 and holding Europe's first Phase II carbon auction on 19 November 2008;
  • retaining the Renewables Obligation to provide financial support for large-scale renewable electricity and extending it by at least ten years, ensuring investors can plan with confidence for the future; and
  • following a fall in pump prices by over 20 pence per litre from their summer peaks, the postponed two pence per litre fuel increase will go ahead on 1 December 2008.

At the same time, the Pre-Budget Report shows how environmental policies can respond flexibly to help people and businesses through tough times, while reducing carbon emissions:

  •  installing 600,000 insulation measures this winter, up to 70 per cent on last winter, through the £6.8bn Home Energy Saving Programme, half of which is funded by energy companies;
  • continuing to provide a clearer environmental signal through reform to vehicle excise duty, while ensuring that no driver in any given band will pay more than £5 extra in 2009 or £30 extra in 2010; and
  • reforming air passenger duty from 1 November 2009, moving from two to four distance bands to improve environmental signals.

Further details on these and other measures are set out below:
Green Stimulus
As part of the fiscal stimulus, the Government is accelerating and providing additional resources worth £535 million to promote its environmental objectives and support low-carbon growth. This stimulus will help to sustain and expand the estimated 350,000 jobs in the UK low-carbon sector.

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