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![Emerging Findings – Expertise and Empathy
High quality independent research into competition policy and regulation
“…the technical stuff drowns out the real experience because the technical stuff is forward-looking, is exciting.
Dealing with fuel poverty is quite a thorny difficult issue it takes a lot of commitment.”
- Public Peripheral
“My bottom line is that we need to do something about fuel poverty and not use this [debate about the
definition] as a further reason to not start now. Because certainly in discussions with ministers the attitude
seems to be “we need to do work on the definition first before we can set a target for it” and I just think that
there is an abdication of responsibility. And that’s a polite version.”
- Public Peripheral
“I mean…we have to call ourselves elites now, but it is people “elites” designing programs and sort of pushing
them through”
- Strategic Private Outsider / Private Procured
So I think quite a simple level, I mean I’m an economist, my team is made of policy experts and economists and
we do whether we like it or not we do tend to think of things in a very rationalistic way. So we think about a
problem when we think about you know we think about solutions from a very informational deficit model
approach. To this and absence of information you provide information and magically everything changes.
- Public Core Actor](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/12-171103154600/75/Fuel-Poverty-and-Energy-Justice-in-the-UK-Nations-7-2048.jpg)
Uploaded byHarriet Thomson
Fuel Poverty and Energy Justice in the UK Nations
This document discusses a study on fuel poverty and energy justice policy in the UK nations from 2012 to 2017. The study included documentary analysis and 35 interviews with government departments, regulators, consumer advocates, campaign groups, parliamentary committees, and firms. Emerging findings include that a change in the English definition of fuel poverty has not led to apparent divergence yet. Price regulation and energy prices are seen as more central issues in an era when schemes have addressed easier homes to treat. Concerns about distributional, procedural, and recognition justice relating to funding policy, technical focus, and austerity impacts were also found. The study examines expertise, empathy, and the fuel poverty policy system across public and private institutions and organizations.
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Fuel Poverty and Energy Justice in the UK Nations
- 1. competitionpolicy.ac.uk High quality independentresearch into competition policy and regulation competitionpolicy.ac.uk Fuel Poverty and Energy Justice in the UK Nations Elizabeth Errington
- 2. Fuel Poverty andEnergy Justice in the UK Nations High quality independent research into competition policy and regulation • Fuel Poverty Policy formulation from 2012 to mid 2017 • Documentary Analysis • 35 semi structured telephone interviews of ex and current staff at the strategic and detailed level from: • Government Departments • Regulators • Consumer advocates (statutory and commercial) • Campaigning Organisations • Parliamentary Committees • Firms 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Parliamentary Debate Scotland Fuel Poverty Debate UK Fuel Poverty Debate Committee Investigation NI Committee for Social Development Mandate 2011/15 Second Report on Fuel Poverty 2012 Scotland Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee 1st Report, 2012 (Session 4) Fuel Poverty - summary of evidence taken and initial conclusions and recommendations. UK Energy Prices, Profits and Poverty Fifth Report of Session 2013–14 Report Wales Inquiry into energy efficiency and fuel poverty in Wales 2014 Consultation and Committee Hearing Consultation or Report England Hills Report Consultation Reports Northern Ireland From Fuel Poverty to Achieving Affordable Warmth Consultation 2014 / Reponses Summaries Scotland Progress Report on the Scottish Fuel Poverty Statement England DECC Fuel Poverty Strategy Scotland An Action Plan to Deliver Affordable Warmth in Rural Scotland Wales Consultation 2016 A future demand-led fuel poverty scheme to succeed Welsh Government Warm Homes – Nest Scotland Scottish Energy Efficiency Programme
- 3. High quality independentresearch into competition policy and regulation Public Core Actors Formal expertise role for formulation Government Departments Regulators 9 Current (4 Strategic level) 7 Ex 4 UK 1 Scotland only 5 NI only Public Peripheral Formal expertise role for advising formulation Parliamentary Committees Advisory Non-Departmental Public Body 11 Current (2 Strategic level) 8 Ex (2 Strategic level) 8 UK 1 Scotland only 2 NI only Statutory Consumer Advocates - 6 (2 Strategic level) Private / Procured Formal expertise role on behalf of core actors Consultancy Delivery of Public / Governmental schemes 3 Current 1 Wales only 2 NI only 3 Ex Private Outsiders Stakeholders with expertise feeding into formulation processes 14 Current (3 Strategic) 2 Ex 1 England only 1 UK 12 GB Firms - 6 (GB) Charities - 3 (1 NI only, 2 Strategic Level) Statutory Consumer Advocates – 6 (2 Strategic level)
- 4. Emerging Findings –Austerity Fuel Poverty Policy High quality independent research into competition policy and regulation 1. New divergence after change in English definition not yet apparent 2. Energy Prices and Price Regulation perceived as more central in an era when schemes have completed the ‘easy to reach, easy to treat’ 3. Energy Justice Concerns related to: i. Distributional Justice impact of raising funds through bills ii. Procedural Justice impact of focus on technical expertise of buildings and markets iii. Recognition Justice impact of austerity impact on charities and other representatives
- 5. Democratic Governance Consultancy Think Tanks Academics Advisory RegulatoryGovernance Monopoly Providers NTS GT iGT MaPMoP DNO iDNO ISO mISO Market Suppliers Incumbents Middle tier New Entrants Fuel Suppliers Representation People using energy CMA Devolved Scottish Parliament Welsh Assembly Com Com Housing and Social Justice Environment EU Ofgem NICE Housing EPC Regs Elexon Joint Office Xoserve Electralink Environment Agency Citizens Advice Consumer Advocacy (CEAR Act, 2007) Consumer Advocacy (Commercial) Energy UK (Trade Association) UKRN Advocacy (Charitable) PCWs Consumer Bodies Sector specific Country Specific Client Group Specific Emerging Findings – Fuel Poverty Policy System High quality independent research into competition policy and regulation Ombudsman CCC BEIS HoC FP Parliament Dept. Communities Cabinet Office Treasury BEIS DEFRA NAO UK Dept. Health PACSmart Programme DWP RepresentationDemocratic Governance Regulatory Governance Market Advisory
- 6. Movement across institutions /organisations Role at time of interview Secondary role at time of interview Past role Public Insiders (e.g. Commissions and Committees, advisory bodies) Private Insiders (e.g. consultants) Private Outsiders (Representatives or Advisory) Private Outsiders (Incumbent Energy Suppliers) Public Core National and devolved government departments, Regulators, Governmental policy analysts Private Outsiders (Small / Medium Energy Suppliers) Emerging Findings – Fuel Poverty Policy System
- 7. Emerging Findings –Expertise and Empathy High quality independent research into competition policy and regulation “…the technical stuff drowns out the real experience because the technical stuff is forward-looking, is exciting. Dealing with fuel poverty is quite a thorny difficult issue it takes a lot of commitment.” - Public Peripheral “My bottom line is that we need to do something about fuel poverty and not use this [debate about the definition] as a further reason to not start now. Because certainly in discussions with ministers the attitude seems to be “we need to do work on the definition first before we can set a target for it” and I just think that there is an abdication of responsibility. And that’s a polite version.” - Public Peripheral “I mean…we have to call ourselves elites now, but it is people “elites” designing programs and sort of pushing them through” - Strategic Private Outsider / Private Procured So I think quite a simple level, I mean I’m an economist, my team is made of policy experts and economists and we do whether we like it or not we do tend to think of things in a very rationalistic way. So we think about a problem when we think about you know we think about solutions from a very informational deficit model approach. To this and absence of information you provide information and magically everything changes. - Public Core Actor
- 8. Why are there distributional injusticeof outcomes Because those who are inequitably recognised are discriminated against in the allocation and access to current resources and probably future policy responses Because there is uneven participation in decision making processes Because those who are poorly resourced have restricted access to rights of recognition Because inequitable participation sustains lack of recognition Because those who are poorly resourced have barriers to participation Why is there unjust access to participatory processes Because those that are inequitably recognised do not have equal participatory rights Why are there inequalities in recognition Why is there unjust access to participatory processes Adapted Schlosburg 2007 in Walker 2012 6 Emerging Findings Proposed extension to Walker 2012 6 Emerging Findings – Energy Justice
- 9. competitionpolicy.ac.uk High quality independentresearch into competition policy and regulation competitionpolicy.ac.uk Fuel Poverty and Energy Justice in the UK Nations Elizabeth Errington
Editor's Notes
- #4 80 to 100 people Epistemic capture – much easier as an analyst focused on semi structured interviews at institutions but very high risk of group think
- #5 Concern about the debate on the definition within procedures of policy formulation Procedural access by NGOs who are limited in resources – demands are difficult to meet. Empathy – housing and markets where inactive or active choices are expected and or modelled via experts. Therefore need focus on WHO , WHICH institutions and organisations are held accountable for the development and delivery of vulnerable people
- #6 People Represented talk through boxes here – talk through advocacy challenges & CAB critique
- #8 Concern about the debate on the definition within procedures of policy formulation Procedural access by NGOs who are limited in resources – demands are difficult to meet. Empathy – housing and markets where inactive or active choices are expected and or modelled via experts. Therefore need focus on WHO , WHICH institutions and organisations are held accountable for the development and delivery of vulnerable people