(1) How many Canberrans have taken up the Government's offer to install/purchase solar hot water heaters receiving the Government rebate between $700-$1,000 per household;

(2) How does the process of rebate work for Canberrans who purchase a solar hot water heater;

(3) How much has this scheme cost the Government in total so far, that is in rebates, advertising of the scheme and any other associated costs;

(4) Have more people purchased solar hot water heaters this financial year than was budgeted for in 2002-03;

(5) What will happen if there are more people purchasing solar hot water heaters than what has been budgeted for in rebates ie: will some people miss out on a rebate;

(6) How many extra employees, if any, were needed in the Department of Urban Services to process these rebates.

(1) 310 households have taken up the Government rebate on installing solar hot water heaters.

(2) When an accredited solar hot water system is installed in a Canberra residence, the retailer or manufacturer may pass on the Government rebate at point of sale and subsequently claim the relevant rebate. Alternatively, the purchaser may claim the rebate direct.

(3) Implementation of the Solar Hot Water Heater Rebate Scheme has incurred costs of $245,252 to date.

(4) No. In 2002-03, uptake of solar hot water rebates has been less than that budgeted for on a pro rata basis.