17 April 2015
All the political parties published their manifestos this week. Here are some of the FM relevant policy pledges.
1. Labour: a legal target to remove the carbon from our electricity supply by 2030, and a major drive for energy efficiency. It also will raise the National Minimum Wage to more than £8 an hour by October 2019.
2. Liberal Democrats promise a Green Buildings Act to make all social and private rented homes reach Energy Performance Certificate Band C by 2027. A Zero Carbon Britain Act would remove exemptions in the Zero Carbon Standard for new homes, increasing the standard steadily and extending it to non-domestic buildings from 2019 "to improve energy performance of buildings".
3. The Conservatives will pass a law so that the personal allowance automatically rises in line with the National Minimum wage.
4. UKIP would remove VAT completely from repairs to listed buildings and ensure "tax and planning policies support historic buildings and the countryside".
5. The Green Party has pledged to outlaw zero-hours contracts.