Bill to combat fuel poverty goes out to views

Proposed legislation which sets a new target relating to the eradication of fuel poverty is to be examined by Holyrood's Local Government & Communities Committee.

MSPs on the committee today issued a call for views, ahead of their stage 1 scrutiny of the Fuel Poverty (Target, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Bill.

The bill sets a target of no more than 5% of households to be living in fuel poverty by 2040. It also proposes a new definition of fuel poverty and requires the Scottish Government to publish a fuel poverty strategy, as well as a progress report every five years.

Under the proposed new definition of fuel poverty, a household’s required fuel costs must be more than 10% of household net income after deducting housing costs and the remaining household net income after the payment of fuel costs and childcare costs (if any) must also be insufficient to maintain an acceptable standard of living for the household.

Questions on which submissions are invited include:

• Do you agree with the Scottish Government’s proposal to provide for a statutory target to reduce fuel poverty to no more than 5 per cent of Scottish Households by 2040?
• Do you agree with the Scottish Government’s proposals for a revised definition of fuel poverty?
• Do you agree with provisions in the bill requiring the Scottish Government to publish a fuel poverty strategy? Do you also agree with the consultation requirements set out in relation to the strategy?
• A draft fuel poverty strategy was published alongside the Bill on 27 June. Do you have any views on the extent to which the measures set out in the draft Fuel Poverty Strategy for Scotland 2018 will contribute to meeting the Government’s new target? Have lessons been learned from previous initiatives?
• Do you have any views on the Scottish Government’s reporting requirements to the Scottish Parliament, as set out in the bill?

However the committee welcomes views on any relevant matters raised in the bill.

Committee convener James Dornan MSP commented: “Having a warm home is a basic right and no one should have to choose between heating and eating. The intention behind this bill is therefore welcome.

“However, it is the role of the committee to look at these proposals in detail to determine if the target is achievable and if the measures set out will make a real difference.

“We want to hear from a wide range of organisations, stakeholders and people from across Scotland to generate discussion on the key proposals set out in the Bill and most importantly how we tackle fuel poverty.”

Click here to view the call for evidence. The deadline for responses is 9 November 2018.