PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has taken an even wider look at life. He wants the government to make greater use of solar panelling for the heating of homes and offices in the UK.

He wants to see proper use of £20million of government cash aimed at giving 3,000 domestic roofs and 140 non-domestic roofs with solar panels in the next three years.

Mr Prentice has welcomed the opening of Pendle's "eco house", fitted with a range of energy improvements and modifications at a cost within the reach of the average householder, including solar heat collecting panels on the roof to provide hot water. There is a boiler to top up supplies when it is cold.

Mr Prentice said: "It demonstrates just what can be done to improve a property and achieve affordable warmth in an environmentally-friendly manner.

"Even in our less than Mediterranean climate, solar panels can still heat water supplies.

"We must support cost-effective renewal energy technology."

EAST Lancashire MPs Gordon Prentice and Greg Pope have clashed over claims that government Whips prevented their colleagues from voting for a major modernisation of the House of Commons.

Leader of the Commons, Robin Cook, has been defeated in a bid to hand over control of the membership and chairmanship of Select Committees which keep an eye on the government's activities, leading to claims by Pendle MP Mr Prentice that government Whips had torpedoed the move in revenge of his success in winning greater elected membership of the House of Lords.

But Mr Pope rejected this saying: "This is rubbish."