In a classic governmental waste of energy, Sarah Teather (Brent East, Liberal Democrat) asked the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his Department's most recent estimate is of the effect on the sale price of homes to which energy efficiency improvements have been made following the requirement to produce an energy performance certificate.

John Healey (Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government; Wentworth, Labour) replied: “No such estimate has been made. However, the Department for Communities and Local Government is working with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and other stakeholders on a project to explore the extent to which energy performance is reflected in the value of a property and the effect on the market price of homes as a result of the installation of energy efficiency and renewable heat and energy technologies.”

Is it us or is this nonsense? Your views are requested!