The Prime Minister has commissioned the Cabinet Office to carry out an urgent briefing on how the Green Deal scheme can be rescued.

The Cabinet Office interviewed senior figures in the renewable sector over the weekend to establish what amendments must be made to the scheme before its launch, due in October this year, in order to ensure the scheme is successful.

The government's impact assessment for the Green Deal shows that installations of loft and cavity wall insulation are expected to reduce by 93% and 70% respectively under the scheme.

The renewable industry has also been increasingly concerned about the government's proposed 'soft launch' for the scheme in the autumn, which has prompted fears of limited take up.