Robert Brown calls for £9 billion windfall to go on fuel poverty

12.00.00am GMT Mon 28th Jan 2008

Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown has today joined the campaign to push for an anticipated windfall to the energy industry to be invested in tackling fuel poverty.

Ofgem, Britain's gas and electricity regulator, has identified a possible windfall to the electricity industry of £9 billion, as a result of Tradable Emission Permits.

Recently, energy bills have been driven up drastically as a result of rising global energy costs, the cost of curbing climate change, and an increased investment in energy networks.

In a similar move, Spain has recently reviewed their windfall, and now Liberal Democrat politicians are calling for the UK's £9 billion windfall to fund aid for fuel-poor households: those who spend more than 10 per cent of their income on energy.

Mr. Brown is calling on the Scottish Government to ensure that any Scottish share of this windfall is used to tackle fuel poverty.

Robert Brown said:

"Ofgem estimates that the UK Energy industry could be in line for a £9 billion windfall as a result of the European Emissions Trading Scheme.

"This windfall could be used to help customers all over Rutherglen and Cambuslang who are in fuel poverty.

"The recent rise in prices is affecting more and more people, and it's only fair that the windfall is used to cushion the effects on those hardest hit - people who cannot afford to heat their homes as a result of the rises - when we are given £9 billion back from Europe.

"The Scottish Government should be doing their bit to ensure that Scotland gets its portion of this money to stave off fuel poverty north of the border.

"Energy companies across the UK are hiking up their prices, forcing more families into fuel poverty. I want to see Scottish Ministers signing up to Ofgem's recommendation for this windfall to be invested into measures to tackle fuel poverty."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

the 9 billion windfall is calculated at today's market prices and covers the period from 2008-2012

Who is Ofgem?

Ofgem is Britain's gas and electricity industries regulator. It's role is to protect and look after consumers interests by promoting competition where possible. Since the gas and electricity markets were opened to competition in 1998, consumers have been free to switch their gas & electricity suppliers.

www.robertbrown.org.uk

Robert has been the Liberal Democrat MSP for Glasgow Region since 1999 and was re-elected for a third term in May 2007.

Robert is now Business Manager for the Liberal Democrats in the Scottish Parliament. He was Deputy Minister for Children and Young People in the last Scottish Executive. Robert was previously Convener of the Scottish Parliament's Education Committee, and had served on the Social Justice Committee and the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, (SPCB) the management group of the Parliament.

He has close links with many organisations in Rutherglen and Cambuslang and lives with his family in Burnside.

Robert Brown is also one of the Scottish Liberal Democrats' leading strategists. He is Convener of the Party's Policy Committee and was responsible for their manifestos at recent elections. He was also a member of the Party's negotiating Committee which agreed the Partnership Agreement of 2003 .