On Tuesday 3rd September during ‘Topical Questions’ at the end of the day in Parliament Dave Doogan, a Scottish National Party member representing Angus and Perthshire Glens, raised a question about pensioners and fuel poverty. Dave has been an MP since 2019.
Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer responded.
The question and response can be seen from here.
Dave Doogan: The Chancellor would have known, in advance of the cut to the winter fuel payment and the stripping of £160 million from pensioners in Scotland, that Scottish pensioners suffer the lowest temperatures, rural Scottish pensioners live in some of the oldest houses on these islands, and most Scottish pensioners in rural areas are off the gas grid. Knowing that, what discussions did she have with her 37 new Scottish Labour MPs about pushing Scottish pensioners into fuel poverty?
Rachel Reeves: I would just note that the Scottish Government have decided to mirror what the wider UK Government are doing rather than using the tax powers that they have. That is a decision the Scottish Government have made given the fiscal situation they face; we face a similar issue with a £22 billion black hole in the public finances.
ianchisnall 