SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 08/02/06
SSP call for fuel price freeze to halt massive increase in poverty
Scottish Socialist Party national convener Colin Fox, MSP for the Lothians, today called for an immediate freeze on fuel prices to avert a massive increase in fuel poverty in light of imminent hikes in energy prices. Colin has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament highlighting the statement by the UK Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alan Johnson, that one million people face poverty as a result of energy price rises and calling for an immediate price freeze. The SSP has repeatedly highlighted the annual loss of life in Scotland of pensioners who cannot afford to properly heat their homes.
Colin said today; "The possibility of further increases in energy prices are viewed with horror by Scotland's low paid and pensioners, tens of thousands of whom are already struggling to keep their homes warm. "100,000 extra Scots now face the prospect of fuel poverty in the face of imminent hikes in energy prices. "The Scottish Executive must act immediately to prevent catastrophe, thousands of Scots pensioners are already dying every winter because they cannot adequately heat their homes. "The SSP is calling for an immediate freeze in fuel prices to prevent a massive increase in fuel poverty. "In the longer term it is an absolute disgrace that private companies are making obscene profits while our pensioners freeze to death, the energy utilities must be brought back into public ownership alongside the oil companies who are fattening themselves from Scotland's vast oil wealth." [ends]
Scottish Parliament motion: *S2M-3929 Colin Fox: Fuel Poverty Requires Energy Price Freeze-That the Parliament notes with alarm the statement by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alan Johnson, that one million people face poverty as a result of energy price rises; believes that this will mean 100,000 Scots facing fuel poverty, and urges the UK Government to recognise that the energy companies have earned massive profits from rising prices and order an immediate energy price freeze to protect those facing fuel poverty
Notes Research for the SSP shows that 134,000 (39%) single pensioners and 83,000 (26%) Scottish pensioner couples live in fuel poverty, which means that they must spend 10% or more of their income to adequately heat their homes. Poverty is the main cause of premature death among the elderly in Scotland according to a study by Energy Action Scotland. Between 1997-2002, Scotland registered 16,600 more deaths for over-65s between Dec & March than in the rest of the year. Premature deaths are highest among OAPs in Glasgow with one-in-36 of those aged over 65 dying during the winter months.
