MSPs Call For Fuel Poverty Updates

The Scottish Government has been urged to produce regular updates on efforts to tackle fuel poverty, as MSPs said a pledge to eradicate the problem by the end of next year is unlikely'' to be met.

While a commitment has been made to to eradicating the problem ''as far as practically possible'' by November 2016, the latest figures showed levels of fuel poverty in Scotland were on the rise.

Official figures for 2013 showed that 940,000 households across the country were classed as being in fuel poverty - a rise of about 100,000 from the previous year.

Holyrood's Energy Committee has now called on the Scottish Government to publish progress reports every three months, detailing what is being done.

After Deputy First Minister John Swinney revealed the Scottish Government had no plans to carry out a full cost analysis of what would require to be done to eradicate fuel poverty, the committee recommended this research should now be done.

MSPs on the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee also want to question a UK Government minister to find out what impact energy market reforms will have on the problem.

Committee convener Murdo Fraser said: Our committee heard strong evidence that fuel poverty was continuing to impact on thousands of people across Scotland and despite a commitment to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016, it is unlikely that this will be met.

This is concerning for us as a committee and of course for those currently living with the consequences of fuel poverty. It is clear that responsibility lies both with the UK and Scottish Government, which is why our committee is requesting an update on progress in order to determine if efforts are stalling.''

The committee's report on the Scottish Government's spending plans for 2015/16 said that spending on fuel poverty was being maintained at £79 million, with additional cash to be raised from energy companies.

But campaigners told MPs that eradicating fuel poverty could cost about £10 billion.

The report said it was now increasingly likely'' that the target to abolish fuel poverty by next November will not be met, as it called for quarterly progress reports to be published for the next two years.

Deputy convener Dennis Robertson said: As our report concludes, the Scottish and UK governments both have a role to play in tackling fuel poverty and, of course, their actions will impact upon Scotland's ability to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016.

During our scrutiny, we heard from the Scottish Government the actions they are taking, but given the significance of this issue, it is imperative that as a committee we also question a UK minister on the implications that energy market reform may have on fuel poverty in Scotland.''