Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 23 January 2013
23 Jan 2013 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Fuel Poverty
I was coming to that point on the next page of my speech. We are aware of the Energy Saving Trust’s view in that regard. The Government and I are keen to ensure that people do not lose out in the way described, so we are actively looking at a programme for vulnerable groups who do not fit into the national retrofit scheme. We have taken that on board and we have consulted the Energy Saving Trust, which is happy with what we are doing.
The majority of the Scottish Government’s fuel poverty budget goes to the energy assistance package, which Elaine Murray just mentioned, and most of the money allocated to that is used to fund central heating and insulation measures for households at risk of fuel poverty. The EAP was designed to integrate with the previous carbon emission reduction targets, which have now been replaced by the energy company obligation. Elaine Murray asked us to ensure that vulnerable people do not lose out and we will do that.
From April, the Scottish Government’s energy assistance package will be superseded by the national retrofit programme, which is designed to get the most for Scotland out of the energy company obligation. The majority of the £65 million fuel poverty budget for 2013-14 will go to local authority area-based schemes.
The Scottish Government is committed to continuing to provide the home energy Scotland hotline and the energy advice, tariff and benefits checking that form stages 1 and 2 of the energy assistance package. The home energy Scotland hotline will integrate with the national retrofit programme. It will provide a route into the support for vulnerable households that are outside area-based schemes, as well as directing households within the areas served by local authority schemes to those schemes. As I said, we have not made a final decision on the best means of providing support to vulnerable households.
There are a number of issues around rural areas. A number of funds can support the development of renewable options for individuals and communities in off-gas areas. They include the warm homes fund, the community and renewable energy scheme and the home renewables loan scheme. Those schemes are designed to fit with the United Kingdom financial framework for supporting domestic renewable energy and are aimed at supporting a range of applicants, including individuals, community groups, rural businesses and registered social landlords.
We proposed a community-based approach to tackling fuel poverty in our 2011 manifesto, which earmarked £50 million over the course of this parliamentary session for a warm homes fund to promote district heating and renewables options. The first project, which is supported by the warm homes fund, is at West Whitlawburn, in Cambuslang, which I hope to visit soon. The project is expected to become operational in July 2013. We have other schemes in the pipeline that we hope to announce shortly. RSLs will use the income received from the UK schemes to promote renewable energy to improve the energy efficiency of housing and give people warmer homes.
District heating networks can provide low-cost heat to households, particularly in multistorey blocks and off-gas-grid areas. Heat networks mean that we can use heat more efficiently from a range of sources such as gas-fired combined heat and power plants, renewables, and heat recovery from industrial processes.
Fuel poverty is a blight on our country. This Scottish Government will continue to urge the UK Government, which has responsibility for this area, to do more to drive down energy costs and ensure that our households are better protected. However, members of this Parliament—and the people of Scotland—can be assured that their Scottish Government has done and will continue to do all that it can within our existing powers to tackle the scourge of fuel poverty.
I move,
That the Parliament recognises the Scottish Government’s efforts in tackling fuel poverty; welcomes the continued investment in energy efficiency and fuel poverty and the contrast with the UK Government’s cutting of its fuel poverty budget and withdrawal of any taxpayer-funded support from April 2013; recognises the early indications from the National Retrofit Programme “go-early” pilots that energy companies view Scotland as an attractive place to invest; notes the economic benefits of such programmes and the contribution that they make to reducing carbon emissions; supports the Scottish Government’s call on the UK Government to tackle the energy market to provide a better deal for consumers, and notes with concern the expected impact on household incomes arising from the UK Government’s welfare reform plans, which it believes will lead to an increase in inequality.
14:53
The majority of the Scottish Government’s fuel poverty budget goes to the energy assistance package, which Elaine Murray just mentioned, and most of the money allocated to that is used to fund central heating and insulation measures for households at risk of fuel poverty. The EAP was designed to integrate with the previous carbon emission reduction targets, which have now been replaced by the energy company obligation. Elaine Murray asked us to ensure that vulnerable people do not lose out and we will do that.
From April, the Scottish Government’s energy assistance package will be superseded by the national retrofit programme, which is designed to get the most for Scotland out of the energy company obligation. The majority of the £65 million fuel poverty budget for 2013-14 will go to local authority area-based schemes.
The Scottish Government is committed to continuing to provide the home energy Scotland hotline and the energy advice, tariff and benefits checking that form stages 1 and 2 of the energy assistance package. The home energy Scotland hotline will integrate with the national retrofit programme. It will provide a route into the support for vulnerable households that are outside area-based schemes, as well as directing households within the areas served by local authority schemes to those schemes. As I said, we have not made a final decision on the best means of providing support to vulnerable households.
There are a number of issues around rural areas. A number of funds can support the development of renewable options for individuals and communities in off-gas areas. They include the warm homes fund, the community and renewable energy scheme and the home renewables loan scheme. Those schemes are designed to fit with the United Kingdom financial framework for supporting domestic renewable energy and are aimed at supporting a range of applicants, including individuals, community groups, rural businesses and registered social landlords.
We proposed a community-based approach to tackling fuel poverty in our 2011 manifesto, which earmarked £50 million over the course of this parliamentary session for a warm homes fund to promote district heating and renewables options. The first project, which is supported by the warm homes fund, is at West Whitlawburn, in Cambuslang, which I hope to visit soon. The project is expected to become operational in July 2013. We have other schemes in the pipeline that we hope to announce shortly. RSLs will use the income received from the UK schemes to promote renewable energy to improve the energy efficiency of housing and give people warmer homes.
District heating networks can provide low-cost heat to households, particularly in multistorey blocks and off-gas-grid areas. Heat networks mean that we can use heat more efficiently from a range of sources such as gas-fired combined heat and power plants, renewables, and heat recovery from industrial processes.
Fuel poverty is a blight on our country. This Scottish Government will continue to urge the UK Government, which has responsibility for this area, to do more to drive down energy costs and ensure that our households are better protected. However, members of this Parliament—and the people of Scotland—can be assured that their Scottish Government has done and will continue to do all that it can within our existing powers to tackle the scourge of fuel poverty.
I move,
That the Parliament recognises the Scottish Government’s efforts in tackling fuel poverty; welcomes the continued investment in energy efficiency and fuel poverty and the contrast with the UK Government’s cutting of its fuel poverty budget and withdrawal of any taxpayer-funded support from April 2013; recognises the early indications from the National Retrofit Programme “go-early” pilots that energy companies view Scotland as an attractive place to invest; notes the economic benefits of such programmes and the contribution that they make to reducing carbon emissions; supports the Scottish Government’s call on the UK Government to tackle the energy market to provide a better deal for consumers, and notes with concern the expected impact on household incomes arising from the UK Government’s welfare reform plans, which it believes will lead to an increase in inequality.
14:53
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-05424, in the name of Margaret Burgess, on tackling fuel poverty.14:41
The Minister for Housing and Welfare (Margaret Burgess)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to reconfirm to the Parliament the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling fuel poverty. The most recent fuel poverty figures ...
Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP)
SNP
Is the minister aware that there are older people who are being cold called by companies that are not approved installers of the Scottish Government’s insula...
Margaret Burgess
SNP
I thank the member for that question, which concerns a matter that I have already taken up with the Energy Saving Trust and officials. There is a real concer...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
I have spent quite some time over many years trying to persuade the Government to adopt a national approach to retrofitting the housing stock for energy effi...
Margaret Burgess
SNP
We introduced the pilots because of the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s delays in telling us how the energy company obligation will work and how to...
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Lab
Does the minister agree with the Energy Saving Trust’s view that, although there is a need for the national retrofit programme, there is also a need for a su...
Margaret Burgess
SNP
I was coming to that point on the next page of my speech. We are aware of the Energy Saving Trust’s view in that regard. The Government and I are keen to ens...
Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
The recent severe weather conditions and freezing temperatures remind us of the acute need to tackle fuel poverty in Scotland. We live in a time of increasin...
Margaret Burgess
SNP
That is a good thing.
Richard Baker
Lab
That should indeed be a good thing, as the minister has chosen to say from a sedentary position, but that is why we call on ministers to provide an update to...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
With increasing domestic energy costs, fuel poverty is never far from the top of the political agenda—and rightly so.It is invidious that households on modes...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Alex Johnstone
Con
Not at this stage.The Scottish Government’s motion makes reference to the national retrofit programme. I whole-heartedly support the NRP but, in reality, I a...
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
Will the member take an intervention now?
Alex Johnstone
Con
If Stewart Stevenson insists.
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
I am delighted to hear the member talk about renewables, but is he aware that between 80 and 90 per cent of recent rises in domestic energy bills are attribu...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I will compensate you for taking that intervention, Mr Johnstone.
Alex Johnstone
Con
I hate to imagine what the tax take would need to be to finance the independent Scotland that the gentleman seems so keen to create.I believe that the most p...
Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Alex Johnstone
Con
No, thank you.In this Parliament, we regularly address the issue of fuel poverty, which falls within the ambit of the Scottish Government’s responsibilities,...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I certainly welcome this latest debate on fuel poverty, although I regret the way in which the Government and the minister have chosen to frame it.Just as th...
Annabelle Ewing (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP)
SNP
The member referred to the fact that Orkney is off the gas grid and to the hardship that faces struggling pensioners, in particular, with their sky-high fuel...
Liam McArthur
LD
The reasons for that are not necessarily ones that I am privy to. Nevertheless, it was interesting that the member’s colleague, Stewart Stevenson, vaunted th...
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
The member is misrepresenting me. Will he give way?
Liam McArthur
LD
I would encourage—
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
Come on.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Order.
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
He named me.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Mr Stevenson. Order.