8/8/2019 Moving the Clocks Forward for a Year Could Be a Fact This Week

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Press Release

26.10.2010

Moving the clocks forward for a year could be a fact this

week

MPs will hear evidence for moving the clocks forward for a year as a measure to cutcarbon emissions and boost the UK economy.

MPs are considering whether keeping British Summer Time (BST) throughout the winter, rather thanfalling back to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Campaign groups have claimed that moving the clocksforward would result in lower bills as homes and businesses use less energy when evenings arelighter.

A study published earlier on this year from Dr Elizabeth Garnsey at Cambridge University's

Department of Engineering found that moving the clocks forward for the entire year would havesaved 447,000 tonnes of carbon emissions between 2001 and 2008 equating to electricity savings of885GWh enough to supply 200,000 households and a reduction in peak demand of 4.3%. Sheadded that moving the clocks forward by one hour would reduce household energy consumptionduring the evening, resulting in carbon savings equivalent to taking nearly 200,000 cars off theroad.

The Energy and Climate Change Committee (ECCC) will hear evidence for moving the clocks forwardon Thursday from Dr Garnsey, just days before the UK once again resets to GMT. Should thecommittee be convinced by the reports findings, it could write to the prime minister - who has

manifested to be in favour of the change - to recommend trialling the proposals. Also, it couldsupport a private members bill currently working its way through Parliament that calls for a formal

review of the proposal.

Moving the clocks forward for a year would cut energy use and carbon emissions

The daylight saving bill is the latest of eight attempts since 1994 to change UK timings. Moving theclocks forward by one hour for the entire year would force the government to implement the switch

if the review reached a positive conclusion. It was introduced by ECCC chair Tim Yeo, Green PartyMP Caroline Lucas and Conservative green advocate Zac Goldsmith. Currently, it is tabled byconservative MP Rachel Harris and it is due to have its second reading on 3 December.

Tim Yeo has clearly supported the change and said the Daily Express earlier on this year that itwould extend business hours, cut accidents and help the elderly, as well as slashing energy use andcarbon emissions. Yeo saidThe best thing about it is that it will save people money and cost

nothing to implement. Given the current economic situation I think it is very timely. I am very keento see this go through."

Traditionally, opposition to moving the clocks forward for the whole year has come from farmers and

Scottish politicians who argue that sunrise as late as 10 am in the north of the country would delayagricultural work and increase the risk of accidents among children walking to school. However,

changes in the agricultural practice and improvements in road safety have seen a clear shift infavour of the latest bill.

The National Farmers' Union has said it is "keeping an open mind" on the proposals and the NationalSociety for the Prevention of Accidents has said it backs the private members' bill. A spokeswoman

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from Lighter Later, an arm of the 10:10 campaign that has been calling for a year-long trial, said thetime was right for the UK to switch.

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