Fuel Poverty Bill doesn't go far enough
The Fuel Poverty Bill proposed today (27 June) by the Scottish Government doesn't go far enough, according to Scottish Greens housing spokesperson Andy Wightman MSP.
The government's proposal is that no more than 5 per cent of households in Scotland should be living in fuel poverty by 2040, but the plan falls short of the SNP manifesto pledge of a Warm Homes Bill to improve the energy efficiency of housing.
Andy Wightman MSP said:
“It’s very disappointing that the Scottish Government has taken so long to publish a bill that doesn’t go far enough to tackle the twin issues of fuel poverty and climate change. Despite the SNP promising to deliver a Warm Homes Bill that would 'tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency' in their 2016 manifesto, this bill falls short by only seeking to create a new definition of fuel poverty with new targets.
"While targets can be welcome, they must be meaningful and be appropriately measured otherwise we will fall short as happened with the first Housing Act of the Scottish Parliament, which sought to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016. I will table amendments to this bill that will tackle fuel poverty directly as well as deliver warmer homes.”