Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank the witnesses for everything they are sharing with us today. We are learning a great deal about the approach to poverty in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Gordon, Mr. Kenway, please correct me if I am wrong in my introductory remarks. The United Kingdom is one of the first countries in the world to address the problem of fuel poverty and to take steps to deal with it. Households are deemed to be fuel poor when they spend more than 10% of their income to buy fuel for the home. The estimate is that, in 2005, about 2.5 million households in the United Kingdom were fuel poor. The goal of the government of the United Kingdom and the regional assemblies is to put an end to fuel poverty by 2018.
Given the global rise in the price of energy, it will surely be more difficult for you to reach your goal by 2018. Since your strategy describes fuel poverty as one of the factors that can harm young families, would you recommend that others include fuel poverty in their efforts to fight poverty. My question goes to both witnesses? I would like to hear your comments, please.