Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 23 April 2014
23 Apr 2014 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Fuel Poverty
No, thank you. I am short of time.
Ofgem has been issuing stark warnings that the lights will go out soon in England if reserve generation capacity is not urgently increased. That capacity is now approaching 2 per cent when, for safety’s sake, it should be around 25 per cent. On a couple of recent occasions, as much as £30,000 a kilowatt hour has been paid in the short-term energy markets just to keep the lights on. That drives average energy prices upwards.
Ed Miliband’s proposal to cap energy prices was ill-judged and has driven investment away from energy generation, especially renewables investment. The Tory Government’s reaction, in deciding to reduce and ultimately scrap the ECO without having a successor scheme in place was equally unwise and has led to the mothballing of many energy efficiency schemes across Scotland. If that was unwise, the decision to subsidise the Hinkley Point scheme to the tune of £35 billion, at double the wholesale price of energy, was just as bad.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-09747, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on fuel poverty. I give warning that we are extremely tight for tim...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to debate fuel poverty. It is well over a year since we debated the subject in the chamber and I am disappointed that it has taken ...
Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP)
SNP
Jackie Baillie will be aware that the Scottish Government has committed £60 million to local authorities. What figure would the Labour Party commit?
Jackie Baillie
Lab
We would seek to match that, but we would go further. I invite Jim Eadie to read our challenge paper on fuel poverty, in which we set out a range of measures...
Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Jackie Baillie is in her last 10 seconds.
Jackie Baillie
Lab
We all know the connection between fuel poverty and poverty in general. Given the scale of the scandal that we face, I ask the minister to rise to the challe...
The Minister for Housing and Welfare (Margaret Burgess)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to outline the actions that the Scottish Government has taken and continues to take to combat fuel poverty. The Scottish Government...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
Does the minister accept that those official figures do not take into account any of the huge, inflation-busting increases from the big six energy companies?
Margaret Burgess
SNP
I accept that the official figures are just what I say they are—official figures. They are all that we can work on. Whenever the Government cites figures, it...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
I understand from local authorities that the Government has extended the deadline for the expenditure of the money, because it would not be spent by the end ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
You are in your final minute, minister.
Margaret Burgess
SNP
Our budget is being spent on energy efficiency measures in the home. We are delivering more energy efficiency measures per head of population in Scotland tha...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
You must close, please.
Margaret Burgess
SNP
I will continue my remarks in my closing speech. I move amendment S4M-09747.2, to leave out from first “notes” to end and insert: “welcomes the publication...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Fuel poverty impacts to some extent on every household in Scotland. We have already heard that figures suggest that up to 40 per cent of Scotland’s homes are...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Alex Johnstone
Con
No. Let me continue. I can inform the member at great length. We have heard a great deal about the big six energy suppliers and the fact that the monopoly p...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Alex Johnstone
Con
Oh, go on—very briefly.
Jackie Baillie
Lab
On a serious note, I am absolutely committed to working with everybody across the chamber to tackle fuel poverty. It will be interesting to see whether the G...
Alex Johnstone
Con
I will explain that. The point is very useful to make to the SNP for a completely different reason. During 2008, energy prices peaked, with oil at a value of...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
The member should draw his remarks to a close.
Alex Johnstone
Con
There is so much that we could achieve by working together. Come on: let us work together for the benefit of those who need our help. I move amendment S4M-0...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
We are very tight for time. Speeches should be up to four minutes, please. 15:03
Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Fuel poverty is a much more complex issue than the Labour motion suggests. It is a function of energy prices, earnings, quality of housing, climate, access t...
Drew Smith (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Mike MacKenzie
SNP
No, thank you. I am short of time. Ofgem has been issuing stark warnings that the lights will go out soon in England if reserve generation capacity is not u...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Will Mr MacKenzie give way?
Mike MacKenzie
SNP
No, thank you. I am short of time. Further costs are added, with clean-up costs paid by the taxpayer. For example, decommissioning of Sellafield is estimate...