Harrogate MP secures Parliament debate on scandal that left homeowners footing the bill

Tom Gordon, Lib Dem MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, is to introduce a debate in Parliament on Friday, December 6 about the installation of spray foam insulation in houses as part of the Green Homes Grant Scheme.

The much-criticised scheme ran under the Tory Government from September 2020 through to March 2022.

Designed to improve energy efficiency, it was discovered that spray foam rots roof timbers, leading to expensive bills for replacing roofs for homeowners.

Many banks also refused mortgages for houses with spray foam, making many people’s homes unsellable.

Mr Gordon has had a number of constituents affected contact him about this issue and has written to Ed Miliband.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough MP intends to use this week’s debate in the House of Commons to highlight some of his constituents’ stories.

“I’m so glad that I will have the chance to bring this issue to light in Parliament through a debate,” he said.

"It is not fair or right for many people, including some of my constituents, to have to pick up the bill when they had spray foam installed in good faith.

“We must see government action to establish the number of people affected, and then cover the cost of replacing spray foam insulation installed under the scheme.

“The action must be quick, before more people’s homes are allowed to rot, which will only increase the ultimate cost.

"It is unacceptable to leave people unable to sell their homes, when they acted in good faith.”

It’s been a hectic few months for the new MP since he was elected in July.

Recent weeks have seen Mr Gordon secure a place on the Joint Committee on Human Rights which examines matters relating to human rights within the United Kingdom, and scrutinise every Government Bill for its compatibility with human rights..

He has also been elected officer of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Infrastructure, which is Parliament’s leading cross-party group dedicated to economic infrastructure in Britain.