Fuel poverty has been an issue which constituents have
approached me with on numerous occasions. Unfortunately, this is not
surprising, given that nearly 40% of households in Scotland face fuel poverty
every winter. I’ve questioned the UK Government on multiple occasions on its
inaction on fuel poverty and the systemic overcharging of customers by the Big
6 energy providers, but unfortunately the Tories have not taken any substantive
action.
Fuel poverty has more far-reaching effects than just cold
homes. The combination of mental and physical health problems, poor diet,
emotional turmoil and diminished educational opportunity caused by fuel poverty
is a recipe for condemning people to the cycle of poverty.
The cuts the Tories have implemented on those on lower
incomes have only mothballed into larger problems. For example, increased benefit sanctions put even
more people at risk of fuel poverty because they hurt those in lower-income
households, rather than those better-off. And lower-income households are the
ones most at risk of facing fuel poverty.
The UK Government’s cuts to the Department of Energy and
Climate Change has meant that energy efficient and consumer-friendly energy
subsidies, such as the Green Energy Deal and the Green Deal Home Improvement
Fund, further punished energy consumers wishing to make their homes more energy
efficient.
Ultimately, we must provide a fairer deal for hard-working
individuals and families, and not force them to bear the cost of letting the producer
interest come out on top.
We can no longer stand by and allow this to happen. In a
modern developed society, the fact that 40% of Scots face this dilemma every
winter is a disgrace. Real, meaningful action must be taken.
My full speech can be viewed below: