IT will take 28 years to eradicate fuel poverty unless the Scottish Government dramatically increases investment in energy efficient housing, according to the Scottish Greens.
The party’s co-convenor and energy spokesman Patrick Harvie MSP said it was a “scandal” that many were unable to afford to heat their homes in “energy-rich Scotland”.
He added that the Scottish Government would fail to meet its target to eradicate fuel poverty by November 2016 and needed to act now to help those who were struggling. The Scottish Government hit back, saying it was tackling fuel poverty despite the “main drivers” being reserved to Westminster.
The Scottish Greens claim if spending on energy efficiency continues at its current rate, it will take 28 years to help the 940,000 homes in Scotland in fuel poverty.
The Scottish Government provided assistance to around 33,000 homes in 2013/14, through three different schemes using measures such as new boilers, central heating systems and wall insulation. But some of the £74 million put aside for the schemes was not taken up by councils due to delay, according to Green analysis.
Harvie called for a “serious” increase in the budget.
He added: “The Scottish Government pledged to eradicate fuel poverty by November 2016, and everyone except the Government itself seems to have admitted that there’s no chance now of hitting this target. The number of households unable to heat their homes has been growing, not shrinking, and while some important powers are yet to be devolved Scottish ministers could be doing much more with the powers they already have.
“We know that investing in energy efficient homes is one of the best ways to tackle fuel poverty, but if the Government continues at its current rate, it will take decades for all vulnerable people and families in Scotland to have decent warm homes. Ministers have agreed with Green calls for warm homes to become a National Infrastructure Priority, but we need to see that pledge backed with a serious increase in the forthcoming budget, and for that funding to be spent in full.”
Harvie called for the creation of thousands of apprenticeships in energy efficiency in a bid to tackle the skills gap, create construction jobs and get Scotland’s climate targets “back on track”.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said UK Government cuts were hitting many people hard, adding that hundreds of thousands of homes had already been made more energy efficient.
She said: “The main drivers of fuel poverty are outwith the control of the Scottish Government but we are determined to do all we can to tackle it, spending over £500 million since 2009 on fuel poverty and energy efficiency programmes with a record budget of £119m this year.
“Our spending on domestic energy efficiency has already made hundreds of thousands of homes warmer and cheaper to heat.
“The new Warmer Homes Scotland scheme, worth up to £224m over the next seven years, will help as many as 28,000 Scots heat their homes. We recognise those who are suffering from UK Government benefit cuts or sanctions are being hit hard.
“From April 2013 to March 2015, we spent around £65m providing grants to more than 150,000 households in Scotland.”
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