Before Easter, Holly led a Westminster Hall debate on an issue she has been contacted about by a number of different constituents. Those impacted had been told they could pursue no-win, no-fee cases against companies which had installed faulty cavity wall insulation in their homes, which the installers claimed was backed by Government funding.

Beginning in 2015/16, homeowners were approached with the promise of insulation instalment in their homes, which would be fully funded by the government. Homeowners were assured of benefits for both the environment and their own energy bills, and many agreed to the installation based on these assurances.

Despite initial promises of energy efficiency and cost savings, properties that had previously been free from issues such as damp and mould began experiencing these problems, raising significant health and proprietary concerns among occupants. It became increasingly clear that for many homes, the insulation may not have been appropriate and was in some cases severely damaging.

In response to this, Sheffield-based SSB Law and other legal firms offered legal representation for affected homeowners on a no win, no fee basis, only for these same individuals to receive enforcement notices demanding substantial sums in legal fees when SSB collapsed into administration. This led to even more financial strain for the most financially vulnerable, given many affected individuals were initially eligible for government support for this scheme due to their receipt of welfare support.

In Holly’s words, this situation is a “scandal upon a scandal”. Through her work with more than 25 constituents in Halifax who have been directly affected by this, she was able to convey to the Government Minister the health consequences, legal entanglements, and financial strains many have been facing.

Other MPs also took the opportunity to speak up on the issue on behalf of their own constituents. Bradford East MP, Imran Hussain, said legal firms were going door to door promising no win, no fee, which was the only available option for those with limited resources but believed they needed to fix faulty insulation. Dr Alan Whitehead, Shadow Minister for Energy said that a ‘parasitic law firm decided to make a good living by zealously pursuing people it thought might conceivably have a claim for failed cavity wall insulation and tried to push those people down a path to restitution in a wholly cynical and unacceptable manner’.

Responding to the debate, Government Minister Amanda Solloway MP said the Ministry of Justice will continue to engage with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and Legal Services Board (LSB) to understand the action being taken and the timeframes for investigation. Additionally, she said the SRA would be asked to accelerate the investigation so that a resolution could be reached for those affected.

Following the debate, Mike Freer MP, Minister for Courts and Legal Services, has written to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities, His Majesty’s Treasury, and the LSB. He has requested that these organisations begin collaborating regarding this issue and has said that the Ministry of Justice will work closely with the SRA and LSB so that concerns are appropriately addressed.