Politicians argue against keeping fuel poverty issue on ice

MSP Beatrice Wishart.

A demand has been made on Scottish ministers to re-start work on a fuel poverty strategy “as a matter of urgency”.

The call is being made from isles politicians who argue the SNP administration’s work on the strategy has been on pause for almost a year.

Isles MP Alistair Carmichael and Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart have written to Local Government Secretary Aileen Campbell, highlighting the problems associated with fuel poverty in the Highlands and Islands.

In the letter, concerns were raised about the decision to pause work on the Fuel Poverty Strategy, originally due to be published in September 2020, for almost a year.

Ms Wishart said: “We urgently need some clarity from the government on how they plan to tackle the high levels of fuel poverty in communities like Shetland.

“The current plan of attack from the government is to pause the central piece of work which would help those in the long term.