Latest news from David Howarth MP
Posted by David Howarth, MP for Cambridge, at 12:42, Fri 30 May 2008:
Better energy efficiency rules for Cambridge.
I am very happy to be able to report that the House of Commons has passed a private member bill that will allow local councils to set higher environmental and energy standards than the national rules require.
The Planning and Energy Bill, which I supported both in its present form and in its first incarnation eighteen months ago, started life as a protest against something that happened in Cambridge.
Cambridge City Council was forced by central government to water down a planning policy requiring large developers to ‘provide evidence of how they have minimized energy consumption, maximized energy efficiency and considered the feasibility of using CHP systems’. According to central government, it was ‘unreasonable to the extent that it imposes more onerous requirements than the Building Regulations’.
The new law will allow councils to set higher standards as long as they are clearly defined. This is a big step forward and marks a victory for local action against climate change in the face of opposition from the big house builders.
Other news…
• You can find my latest article on the New Labour project at http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/david_howarth/2008/05/a_strategy_gone_wrong.html. What we are now seeing, in my view, is the logical result of New Labour’s political strategy.
• Last week, I met Professor Peter Littlewood at the Cavendish Laboratory to discuss physics research funding and ongoing improvements on the site. Professor Littlewood and his team are doing an outstanding job at the Cavendish Lab. Their research programmes are fascinating and will lead to major breakthroughs.
I was delighted to see that the new building is nearly complete. The new infrastructures will be a great setting for students and researchers. We need to find new ways to promote physics studies among young people. There are fantastic opportunities in the field and I hope many new students will join the Cavendish lab in the coming years.
• You can also find out more about my work in the House of Commons on http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/david_howarth/cambridge. Have a look at my website http://www.davidhowarth.org.uk for recent news and surgery dates.
I look forwards to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
David Howarth
Comments
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Posted by David Heath, 14:24, Fri 30 May 2008: (Is this post abusive?) #
Hello Mr Howard,
this sounds like a very positive step, well done. However, it seems clear to me that the government should also increase the energy efficiency standards required by national building regulations.
David Heath