S4M-15432: Fuel Poverty

The motion

That the Parliament believes that there is cross-party recognition of the social, economic and environmental damage that is caused by fuel poverty and energy-inefficient homes; is deeply concerned that national statistics published in December 2015 stated there had been “no real change” in the level of fuel poverty in 2014, with more than one-in-three households in fuel poverty and one-in-10 in extreme fuel poverty; believes that, with 845,000 households currently affected, the Scottish Government will miss its statutory target to eradicate fuel poverty by November 2016; considers that this will be even harder to achieve should, as proposed in the draft budget, spending on fuel poverty programmes be reduced in 2016-17, and demands that the Scottish Government reverse this cut, revise its 2016 fuel poverty target, examine whether its definition of fuel poverty needs to be updated and commit to additional measures to lift people out of fuel poverty in order to lead to warmer homes, lower energy bills, improved health and reduced carbon emissions.

What MSPs voted on: the motion as amended

The Liberal Democrats’ motion was rewritten by an SNP amendment (S4M-15432.3) before this vote. A vote ‘for’ was a vote for the SNP’s wording.

That the Parliament believes that there is cross-party recognition of the social, economic and environmental damage that is caused by fuel poverty and energy-inefficient homes;

140 words removed by S4M-15432.3

is deeply concerned that national statistics published in December 2015 stated there had been “no real change” in the level of fuel poverty in 2014, with more than one-in-three households in fuel poverty and one-in-10 in extreme fuel poverty; believes that, with 845,000 households currently affected, the Scottish Government will miss its statutory target to eradicate fuel poverty by November 2016; considers that this will be even harder to achieve should, as proposed in the draft budget, spending on fuel poverty programmes be reduced in 2016-17, and demands that the Scottish Government reverse this cut, revise its 2016 fuel poverty target, examine whether its definition of fuel poverty needs to be updated and commit to additional measures to lift people out of fuel poverty in order to lead to warmer homes, lower energy bills, improved health and reduced carbon emissions.

S4M-15432.3 SNP recognises the Scottish Government’s commitment to eradicate fuel poverty as far as reasonably practicable through support and funding within the powers available to the Scottish Ministers, but notes that the Scottish Government has no control over the above-inflation price increases by energy companies that have pushed up fuel bills; notes the latest fuel poverty statistics published in the Scottish House Condition Survey, which show that the efforts of the Scottish Government have helped to contain fuel poverty levels in Scotland that would have been around 9.5%, instead of 35%, if fuel prices had only risen in line with inflation between 2002 and 2014; calls on energy companies to pass on wholesale cost savings to customers at the earliest opportunity and to the fullest extent possible for both gas and electricity customers; welcomes the Scottish Government’s continued investment in energy efficiency and fuel poverty and the contrast with the UK Government’s withdrawal of any taxpayer-funded support for fuel poverty in England since 2013; recognises that the Scottish Government has allocated over half a billion pounds since 2009 to fuel poverty and energy efficiency programmes, helping the most vulnerable people in society heat their homes affordably, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting jobs; welcomes that the Scottish Government has maintained current budgets in 2016-17 by allocating more than £103 million to tackle fuel poverty and climate change next year in the face of ongoing spending pressures and UK Government cuts; welcomes that this funding will be used to help install energy efficiency measures in 14,000 homes, building on the more than 900,000 measures delivered since 2008 and that this record investment is reflected in the big improvements in the energy efficiency of Scotland’s housing, with the share of homes rated EPC band C and above having increased by 71% since 2010; further welcomes that the Scottish Government has designated energy efficiency as a National Infrastructure Priority, supported by a commitment to multiyear funding and new powers to design and implement Energy Company Obligations in Scotland, and is therefore providing a long-term commitment to tackling fuel poverty head on.

Final wording as read into the Official Report at Decision Time. The marked changes are worked out by this site from the amendment texts and match that wording.

Amendments

S4M-15432.3 SNP Margaret Burgess Agreed vote, 60–53
S4M-15432.1 Conservative Gavin Brown Fell per the Official Report
S4M-15432.2 Labour Ken Macintosh Defeated vote, 40–73

Signatures by party

1 MSP besides the lodger · 0 from other parties

LD 1

Party on the day each MSP signed. Signing a motion is voluntary and not whipped. Who signs whose motions

Vote

1 division

27 Jan 2016
Fuel Poverty
S4M-15432as amended by SNP
Carried
60 for, 53 against

Amendments

3

S4M-15432.1

Fuel Poverty
Gavin Brown Con Lodged 26 Jan 2016

No recorded vote
S4M-15432.2

Fuel Poverty
Ken Macintosh Lab Lodged 26 Jan 2016

Defeated
40 for, 73 against
S4M-15432.3

Fuel Poverty
Margaret Burgess SNP Lodged 26 Jan 2016

Carried
60 for, 53 against

Supporters

1 MSP

LD 1

Show all 1 supporter by party

LD 1

Alison McInnes

Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.

In the Official Report

4 contributions mention S4M-15432

27 Jan 2016

Fuel Poverty
John Scott Con Meeting of the Parliament

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15432, in the name of Jim Hume, on fuel poverty. I invite members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request-to-speak buttons now or as soon as possible, and I invite Mr Hume …
27 Jan 2016

Decision Time
Tricia Marwick Meeting of the Parliament

I remind members that, in relation to the debate on fuel poverty, if the amendment in the name of Margaret Burgess is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Gavin Brown falls. The next question is, that amendment S4M-15432.3, in the name …
27 Jan 2016

Decision Time
Tricia Marwick Meeting of the Parliament

The amendment in the name of Gavin Brown therefore falls. The next question is, that amendment S4M-15432.2, in the name of Ken Macintosh, which seeks to amend motion S4M-15432, in the name of Jim Hume, on fuel poverty, as amended, be agree…
27 Jan 2016

Decision Time
Tricia Marwick Meeting of the Parliament

The next question is, that motion S4M-15432, in the name of Jim Hume, on fuel poverty, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.