Unfair energy prices

General election candidates standing in Highland and Island constituencies have been asked to back pledges to act, if elected, against high energy costs.

An affordable warmth manifesto has been issued by an action group which includes housing associations, local councils, fuel poverty action groups and Citizens Advice Bureaux.

They ask prospective political representatives to outline exactly where they stand on the four key issues:

Standing charges and the price of a standard unit of electricity should be exactly the same wherever you live in the UK

Political candidates urged to tackle unfair energy prices

11 April 2015

There should be no delay in equalising the standard electricity price in the Highlands and Islands

Offpeak/’economy’ rate electricity should also be made available to domestic customers at exactly the same minimum unit cost wherever they live in the UK

The currently unregulated domestic heating oil and LPG (bottled gas) supply market in the Highlands & Islands should be thoroughly investigated with a view to Government intervention (regulation and/or subsidy) that results in retail prices being brought down to UK averages.

Councillor Angus McCormack of the Western Isles Fuel Poverty Action Group, said: “The situation in the Highlands and Islands is scandalous and we expect our politicians to nail their colours to the mast and give a public promise do something about it quickly.

“Surely no one can pretend that it is acceptable, for example, that over two-thirds of all Western Isles households have to live in serious fuel poverty but at the same time have to pay so much more for their electricity and other heating fuels than anywhere else in the UK?

“It’s got to be sorted once and for all and the ultimate responsibility for this lies with our politicians.”