McMillan Comments on Energy Assistance Package

Stuart McMillan MSP, (West of Scotland, SNP) has today hit out at comments attributed to Duncan McNeil MSP in relation to Scotland's new Energy Assistance Package and related central heating installations in Inverclyde.

Commenting further Mr McMillan said;

"Labour are using figures for calls to the Scottish Government's ground breaking Energy Assistance Package helpline as being the same as applying for a free central heating system. This is plain wrong, a total abuse of statistics and is yet another Labour dodgy dossier. If Mr McNeil does not understand the distinction between calling a helpline and applying for a central heating system it is rather embarrassing for him.

"I am surprised Labour want to compare central heating installations under the old Labour Scottish Executive and the current SNP Scottish Government. The SNP record is far better. The Scottish Government are installing far more systems than Labour. In both 2007/8 and 2008/9 the Scottish Government installed more systems than in any single year under Labour. That has meant installing or upgrading 33,937 heating systems in private housing. In 2008-2009, waiting lists for central heating systems actually fell by more than 40 per cent.

"The SNP Government's Energy Assistance package is therefore delivering record installations but also offers far more than it ever did under Labour. The SNP Government extended the central heating scheme to include those in inefficient homes with children under 5 or disabled children under 16.

"We are also extending this further to households on certain benefits with children under 16, and to people with certain long term conditions.

"The Energy Assistance Package also offers a range of additional support such as benefits checks for those calling to ensure they get all the money they are entitled to, and it also works with energy suppliers to get a cheaper, lower tariff for those categorised as fuel poor. This has led to nearly 10,000 people saving £1.6m thanks to the benefits checks an increase in pensioner income by on average £26 a week and families with children have been helped to claim an extra £42 a week on average."

(1) Table 1.1 shows Council population. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/03/24121531/1
(2) Link shows installations by Local Authority area
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/default.aspx?pq=S3W-32144
(3) Scottish Government release on benefits checks from EAP
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/03/18135909