Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch used a recent (27/01/16) debate in the Scottish Parliament to highlight the need for the Scottish Government to have a closer look at what can be done for off-gas grid properties in tackling fuel poverty and to ask that the North West Highlands be treated as a priority area.

Mr Thompson said, “The Scottish Government has been ambitious in its aim to eradicate fuel poverty as soon as is practicably possible and the government has, despite financial pressures, invested heavily in energy efficiency programmes, but the North West Highlands needs to be treated as a priority area.

“The Government has spent around a quarter of a billion pounds since 2013 dealing with fuel poverty, and it intends to allocate £103m for fuel poverty programmes in 2016-17, and remains firmly committed to its eradication.

“However, fuel poverty affects almost twice as many Skye residents and West Highlanders than anyone else in Scotland”.

Dave went on, “Rural consumers also continue to be hit by the dual problem of having the most energy inefficient homes and the most expensive energy.  Remote areas of Scotland are not well-served by current programmes aimed at reducing fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency.

“The new regional approach under Warmer Homes Scotland is welcome; however more needs to be done for off-gas grid areas, which represent around 72% of the properties in the Highlands and Islands”.

Note:

Official Report from the debate on Fuel Poverty on the 27th of January, 2015: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=10335&i=95117