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Tackling fuel poverty
23/04/2008
Westminster is being pressed to do more to tackle fuel poverty by Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell who is in London today.
Mr Maxwell joined power brokers from Government and energy companies to discuss the issue.
The Minister said that the devolution settlement constrains the Scottish Government from controlling the key factors - fuel prices and household incomes - which have the dominant impact on fuel poverty.
He encouraged everyone in Scotland to engage in the National Conversation, and consider how greater powers or independence might improve the country's capacity to achieve more through our fuel poverty policies.
Mr Maxwell said:
"Recent official statistics show that nearly a quarter of Scottish households - more than half a million - are still living in fuel poverty. In a modern Scotland, those statistics are a national disgrace.
"Our programmes focus on only one aspect of the three factors affecting fuel poverty - energy efficiency.
"Most of the mechanisms that can raise people's incomes remain reserved to Westminster. That's why this Government believes that greater fiscal autonomy would help allieviate the misery that blights Scotland's fuel poor.
"Efforts to end fuel poverty are also being thwarted by high fuel prices, which are determined by the commercial decisions of private companies.
"Today I will strenuously pursue the issue of fuel poverty with my UK counterparts and the energy companies, urging them not to leave Scots out in the cold
"I will restate the case for the UK Ministerial Fuel Poverty Group to reconvene immediately, to allow all the relevant partners, including members from the devolved administrations, to have their say on the matter.
The Fuel Poverty Summit in London was organised by Ofgem.
A National Conversation on Scotland's constitutional future was launched by the First Minister on August 14, 2007, alongside the publication of a paper outlining different options for public debate and proposals for a referendum.
Mr Salmond said the National Conversation was based on the premise that the people of Scotland are sovereign and should decide on the way they are governed.
Choosing Scotland's Future examines the options for constitutional change and addresses the arguments for and against each, such as independence or enhanced powers of devolution.
The Scottish Government believes the principal choices are:
- Small extension of devolved powers
- Radical redesign of devolution and greatly enhanced powers
- Independence
The public are invited to join the National Conversation by logging onto a dedicated website where they can add comments.