9 February 2010
Immediate release

SNP CONFUSION OVER ENERGY ASSISTANCE PACKAGE AS FIGURES SHOW “LAMENTABLE FAILURE”
 
CENTRAL HEATING INSTALLATIONS IN D&G PLUMMET BY 90%
MINISTER CONFUSED ABOUT NUMBERS ELIGABLE

The SNP Government have admitted that central heating installations with the Energy Assistance Package in Dumfries and Galloway are only 10% of what they were under the previous scheme.

The most recent figures, released in response to a parliamentary question by Elaine Murray MSP, show that only 47 boilers and central heating systems were installed across Dumfries and Galloway during the first 8 months of the scheme. This compares to 433 installations in the region during 2008/09 under the Central Heating Programme. The SNP replaced the Central Heating Programme with the Energy Assistance Package in April 2009.

Elaine Murray MSP said: “This admission blows out of the water any attempt by the SNP to claim the Energy Assistance Package has been a success. A drop of 90% in installations from last year can be nothing other than a lamentable failure. To suggest anything else in the face of these embarrassing figures is delusional.”

“While their intentions may have been commendable, their implementation has been woefully inadequate.”

Adding to Elaine Murray’s concerns, Alex Neil, the Minister in charge of the scheme, is apparently confused about the number of homes now eligible for the package after changes were made to the criteria last November.

In response to a question in the Chamber of the Scottish Parliament from Labour’s Peter Peacock MSP on 5 November 2009 Alex Neil stated that “the reforms that I announced yesterday should result in a tenfold increase at stage 4”. However, in a 19 November 2009 answer to a written parliamentary question by Elaine Murray, Mr Neil said that “The effect of including band E will be to nearly double the pool of households eligible for enhanced measures”. (Stage 4 is the stage of the package relating to enhanced measures).

Elaine Murray said: “It is very concerning that the Government seem unsure of their figures. First they claim eligibility will increase ten-fold and then a couple of weeks later say it’ll only double. Both statements cannot be correct. I hope the confusion lies only with the Minister and does not extend to the programme’s budget or planning.

“The plummeting installation rate and confusion about numbers all point to serious problems with the SNP’s handling of the Energy Assistance Package. It is not a good sign if the Minister in charge doesn’t know the impact of the changes he’s making

“The extreme cold weather this winter highlighted how important it is we make sure the vulnerable have sufficient heating in their homes and I am concerned that the SNP’s failures will have left a lot of people in our region out in the cold.

“I have written to the Alex Neil, the Minister responsible, asking he urgently clarify his figures.”

ENDS

CONTACT – ANDREW MACKENZIE 07769206856

NOTES TO EDITORS
 
1. In a 27 January 2010 answer to a Parliamentary Question by Elaine Murray Alex Neil said that until the end of November 2009 the Energy Assistance Package was responsible for 9 boiler replacements and 38 central heating system installations in Dumfries and Galloway.
 
PQ S3W-30248 can be found here:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/default.aspx?pq=S3W-30248
 
2. In 2008/09 there were a total of 433 installations in Dumfries and Galloway.
http://www.chwdp-scottishexecutive.co.uk/statistics/chp_08-09.php
 
3. Excerpt from Official Report 5 November 2009
 
Peter Peacock: What will the minister do to ensure that my constituents do not continue to be disadvantaged by his policies?
 
Alex Neil: As the member probably knows, the current package was based on the recommendations of the fuel poverty forum. The forum made representations to me about the need to make changes to the eligibility criteria. As I said, I have agreed to do that. I have asked the fuel poverty forum to consider the wider eligibility criteria for the groups that are entitled to benefit from the programme. The forum will report back to me in due course on whether a widening of the eligibility criteria is required. I am sure that the member will be delighted that, given the backlog of people who are in band E, the reforms that I announced yesterday should result in a tenfold increase at stage 4.
 
Parliamentary Question
 
S3W-28761 - Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab) (Date Lodged Friday, November 06, 2009): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it projects that it will cost to widen the eligibility for Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package to include homes with a band E energy performance rating.
 
Answered by Alex Neil (Thursday, November 19, 2009): The Energy Assistance Package is a demand-led programme supported by a budget worth over £60 million in 2009-10.
In itself, widening the eligibility criteria for Stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package has no cost implications. The effect of including band E will be to nearly double the pool of households eligible for enhanced measures. Newly eligible households will have better energy efficiency ratings and therefore the cost of measures under Stage 4 may be less than those required for F and G band homes.
 
4. Letter from Elaine Murray to Alex Neil:
 
29 January 2010
Alex Neil MSP
Minister for Housing & Communities
The Scottish Executive
St Andrew’s House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
 
Dear Alex
I am writing with regards to the Energy Assistance Package in the hope I can clarify how many households you anticipate will benefit from the November 2009 changes to the eligibility criteria.
In response to a question in the Chamber of the Scottish Parliament from Peter Peacock on 5 November 2009 you stated that “the reforms that I announced yesterday should result in a tenfold increase at stage 4”. However in a 19 November 2009 answer to my written parliamentary question of 6 November 2009 you said that “The effect of including band E will be to nearly double the pool of households eligible for enhanced measures”.
I would be very grateful if you could clarify how many additional households will be eligible for Stage 4 measures given the increased eligibility and confirm which of your figures – the one stated on 5 November or 19 November – is correct.
For your convenience I have included an excerpt from the Official Report on 5 November as well as the 19 November parliamentary answer.
Yours sincerely

Elaine Murray
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Dumfries Constituency