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Cash to help tackle fuel poverty          12/3/13

MSP Alasdair Allan, has welcomed the allocation of £831,051 of extra money to tackle fuel poverty in the Western Isles. This comes as part of a £60 million investment from the Scottish Government into making homes across Scotland warmer through the new Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Scotland (HEEPS).

Alasdair Allan commented: “As is well known the problem of fuel poverty is more widespread in the Western Isles than anywhere else in Scotland. This week’s announcement is a serious investment in tackling one of the biggest difficulties faced by many households in the islands – staying warm in winter.

“It is particularly significant that this money is being directed towards tackling, among other things, the difficulties of living in a house with solid walls as opposed to cavity walls. There are of course a high number of such houses in the Western Isles.

“There are many reasons for the fuel poverty situation in Western Isles being so pronounced, including incomes, the local climate, and the number of older people. The funding announced by the Scottish Government is, I believe, a serious measure aimed at tackling a serious problem.”