Meeting of the Parliament 27 January 2016
As we speak, there are approximately 1.8 million people in Scotland—that is 35 per cent of all Scottish households—who are in fuel poverty this winter. Of those households, 9.5 per cent are in extreme fuel poverty, requiring more than 20 per cent of their income to pay for fuel. Some even have to make the tough choice between paying for tomorrow’s breakfast and turning the heating on for another hour, because they cannot afford to have both. No one should have to face that trade-off in this day and age in Scotland. It is a trade-off that has not improved in the past two years and which the Scottish Government has a duty to remove from every household, yet what the Administration has done has led to no real change to the fuel poverty level in 2014 from the year before. Instead, the Scottish Government again blames others, points the finger and states that it has little control over fuel price changes, while failing to recognise that its own target will not be met.
The Government’s argument that it does not have power over fuel prices and its contentment with pointing the finger of blame for the rise of fuel poverty at everything but its inaction are like saying that if people did not get sick the health system would be able to reach all its targets. Any Government should be working flat out to contain an imminent threat to public health, so why is the Government not working flat out to contain the threat to public health that is fuel poverty? It is a deeply disappointing stance, and the denial of the facts on the ground can only cause more problems and provides no solutions.
Some of the most recent fuel price increases have been mitigated by increased incomes, but what about those whose incomes remain below the income poverty line and those who are over the income poverty line but are still in fuel poverty? It raises the question of whether the definition of fuel poverty needs to be updated, as recommended by the independent adviser on poverty and inequality in her report to the First Minister last week. That report stated that
“over half of all ‘fuel poor’ households probably wouldn’t be classified as ‘income poor’ ... the fuel poverty definition needs to be looked at again—so that future programmes focus more specifically on helping those in fuel poverty who are also in income poverty.”
Apart from differences in income, there are also major regional differences that we need to address. As the Labour amendment rightly points out, rural areas and island communities across Scotland are suffering because of cold homes. The latest figures clearly show the disproportionate impact of fuel poverty on rural areas. That is a shameful reminder to the Government of its record on the issue.
Some 43 per cent of households in Scottish Borders, 45 per cent of households in Dumfries and Galloway, 58 per cent of households in Orkney and 62 per cent of households in the Western Isles were in fuel poverty in 2013. When people’s incomes, health and comfort are in danger, we should all put aside our political differences and work to address the problems.