MACASKILL RENEWS CALL FOR SOCIAL TARIFF AS HE DEMANDS - “END TO THE SCOURGE OF DISCONNECTED SCOTS”

ALBA Party Depute Leader and fair energy prices campaigner Kenny MacAskill MP has today unveiled the latest stage in his campaign to end higher standing charges for pre payment meter customers and to introduce a social tariff for poor and vulnerable households. The ALBA Depute Leader moved a motion at the ALBA Party National Council calling for an “end to the scourge of disconnected Scots”.  The motion which was seconded by ALBA Westminster Leader Neale Hanvey MP demands :

• That forced installations of PPMs cease forthwith
• That the higher standing charge for PPMs are ended immediately and
• A social tariff for the poorest and most vulnerable in our society is invoked as a matter of urgency

Mr MacAskill, who recently revealed that the levels of self-disconnection for users of smart meters was at record levels, has campaigned  for a change in the law through his Energy Costs (Pre-payment Meters and Social Tariffs) Bill.  Mr MacAskill’s Bill has the support of fuel poverty campaigners Energy Action Scotland and National Energy Action and older peoples’ charity Age Scotland.

In a statement Kenny MacAskill MP said:

“The poorest and most vulnerable people in our society must be able to access affordable energy and yet that essential need is denied to them.  Instead we see the users of pre payment meters being forced to pay higher standing charges.  This is totally unacceptable in Scotland, a land of energy plenty.

“ While 60,000 households in Scotland self-disconnected from their smart meter we know that this record level of self-disconnection is but the tip of the iceberg as it excludes legacy pre payment meters.  We also know that these figures predate further energy price hikes and the height of winter.

“It is time to end the scourge of disconnected Scots by calling a halt to the scandal of forced installations of PPMs, itself a breach of Ofgem’s own rules.  Furthermore we must end immediately the higher and unjustifiable penalty of higher standing charges levied against the poorest and most vulnerable customers and finally we must have a social tariff to protect our people as a matter of urgency.

“With Independence we can have affordable energy for all of our people, end higher standing charges for pre payment customers and introduce a social tariff to protect those in greatest need.”