BURY North MP David Chaytor won a chance to open a special debate in Parliament this week - and urged the Government to act now and save thousands of lives.

Mr Chaytor won the chance for an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on fuel poverty and energy efficiency.

Fuel poverty is the inability to afford to pay for adequate heating. And the Bury North MP used the debate to outline the appalling human cost of the problem.

"It is particularly important that this debate is taking place in January, as it is the peak period for the annual winter cull of elderly people in this country," he told the House.

Mr Chaytor urged the Government to adopt a 15 year plan to improve energy efficiency in Britain's homes, by spending more on insulation.

"In the past five years there has been an increase of almost 100 per cent in the number of people dying unnecessarily in the winter months," he said.

"In 1992-93 an additional 26,300 people died. In 1996-97 an additional 48,600 died. Most of these deaths were avoidable."

Mr Chaytor commended a bill, given its first reading later on Wednesday, which would set up the 15 year plan.

"If we can find, without an enormous amount of difficulty, several hundred million pounds for a plastic tent to celebrate the Millennium, can we not find a few hundred million pounds to celebrate the end of fuel poverty by the year 2000?" he asked.

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