Energy & Climate Change Minister Greg Barker has commented on yesterday's (16 May) fuel poverty annual report, which comprises fuel poverty statistics for 2011.

One of the main points of the report is that the number of fuel-poor households in England, under the 10% measure, fell to 3.2 million in 2011 from 3.5 million in 2010. In the UK, fuel poverty fell from 4.75 million households in 2010 to 4.5 million in 2011.

Mr Barker said: “I am very encouraged by this modest fall in the number of households living in fuel poverty. But there is absolutely no room for complacency. There is still an unacceptably high number of people living in cold, damp, unhealthy conditions.

“However, after years of year-on-year growth in the number of fuel poor households we are starting to make progress, but the Coalition Government is determined to do even more.

“While we can’t control volatile international energy prices, which always have the potential to undermine progress, it is clear that our determined focus on improving home energy efficiency is proving a highly effective weapon in this battle.”