Labour urges new target to eliminate fuel poverty
Labour will call for a new target to eliminate fuel poverty after the Scottish Government failed to meet its pledge to eradicate the problem.
The party will use an upcoming Holyrood debate to urge MSPs across the chamber to back an ambitious'' new goal.
Earlier this month, Housing Minister Kevin Stewart announced an extra #10 million to tackle fuel poverty, currently defined as households spending 10% of their income on heating.
Ministers had pledged to eradicate the problem by November 2016 but the latest figures show around 845,000 households - or 35% of homes in Scotland - are still affected, with almost half of those pensioners.
The Scottish Government has said an independent review of the definition of fuel poverty will be carried out.
Labour's deputy Leader Alex Rowley said: The last Labour-led government set a target to eradicate fuel poverty, but the deadline for that target has been missed and the SNP Government so far has shown no appetite or ambition to reset it. That has to change.
Labour will call on all of the parties in the Scottish Parliament to unite and set a new, ambitious target.
This winter, thousands of children and pensioners will be cold in their own home and the Government's response is to review the definition. They should be resetting the target, not moving the goal posts.''
He added: Labour wants to see a Warm Homes Act to drive up standards and regulations along with a measurable plan of action that will show year-on-year targets for eradicating fuel poverty in Scotland.
Action speaks louder than words and to date despite the warm words from the SNP hundreds of thousands of adults and children remain in cold, damp and unacceptable housing conditions.
The SNP Government must work with Parliament to ensure that once and for all we put in place what is necessary to deal with this issue.''