Des Turner, the local MP for Brighton, Kemptown, has emphasised the importance of cheaper power for the most vulnerable as the most effective way of reducing fuel poverty.

Speaking at National Energy Action's (NEA) annual conference held in Brighton, Mr Turner - who was appointed to the Energy and Climate Change Committee in January 2009 - also said: "The days of cheap energy are behind us. No longer can we hope to see prices fall...and with an unstable energy industry, the only way to ensure a stable future for Britain is to aim to become self sustainable through the use of renewables, which is going to cost money."

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The conference, held at the University of Sussex, was titled 'Innovation and Change, a New Direction for the Fuel Poverty Strategy', and was sponsored by EDF Energy and supported by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

NEA used the conference to launch its new National Energy Efficiency Strategy that it believes is the only way the Government can meet its 2016 deadline to eradicate fuel poverty - where households spend more than 10% of their income on energy use. Fuel poverty is a known cause of various health problems including heart attacks and strokes and there are more than 408,000 households in fuel poverty in the South East.

The conference is seen as a key forum for the energy industry and local organisations to discuss causes and solutions to fuel poverty.

(CD/GK)