Alexander presses Minister for fair fuel deal for Highlands

12.00.00am GMT Wed 3rd Mar 2010

Local MP Danny Alexander today joined other Scottish Liberal Democrat MPs in pressing DECC Minister David Kidney for desperately needed help for households in remote and rural areas struggling to pay their fuel bills.

During the Westminster Hall debate on Home Energy Efficiency and Fuel Poverty, secured by Gordon MP Malcolm Bruce, Danny outlined the huge inequality in fuel bills and the urgent need for action to get Highlanders to the front of the queue for help.

Commenting after the debate Danny said:

"According to our recent survey over half of households in the Highlands are living in fuel poverty and over 20% are in extreme fuel poverty. Many of these houses are off the gas grid and are classed as 'hard to treat' homes. Their bills continue to rise, they most need help and yet are last to get it.

"The current system is failing to help those who need it most. Heating oil, the major source of fuel in Highland rural communities, is unregulated and big oil companies have no incentives to allow suppliers to introduce social tariffs. Energy companies are able to meet their energy efficiency obligations by concentrating on easy to treat urban homes and leaving hard to treat rural homes, where the need is greatest, to the end of the queue.

"The Minister talked of consultations and future schemes starting in 2012. That is little comfort for families struggling now to pay bills during one of the coldest winters in living memory.

"There are government measures for help with energy bills but they fail to reach those in remote and rural areas, off the gas grid, who need them most. The Minister accepted more needed to be done to make things fairer, it must be done now."

ENDS