SMITH DEMANDS ENERGY FIRMS HELP THOSE STRUGGLING WITH PRICE HIKES

5.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 9th Sep 2008

MSP for North East Fife, Iain Smith has demanded that big energy companies help those struggling with massive price hikes on their gas and electricity bills.

Speaking at the SCDI conference 'Scotland's Energy Future', Iain Smith MSP, who is Convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Energy Committee, said:

"Crippling increases in energy costs hit hardest the poorest in our society with increased gas and electricity bills and higher food prices.

"Governments have a responsibility to assist those most in need to meet increased bills.

"But, it is not unreasonable to ask the energy companies, who can expect windfall profits of £9.5bn as a result of the European Emissions Trading Scheme, to do more to help those in most need reduce their energy use and to invest in energy reduction schemes across the economy."

Liberal Democrats are campaigning for the Governments in Westminster and Holyrood and the energy companies to take action to help ordinary people and families struggling with higher energy bills.

Experts attending the energy conference in Edinburgh on Tuesday all agreed that the era of cheap fuel is over and that many households were struggling with high gas and electricity bills and higher food prices.

Mr Smith continued:

"If the energy companies and the politicians in both Holyrood and Westminster work together they can really get something done to help people by investing in energy reduction schemes such as smart meters.

"People across North East Fife are telling me how difficult they are finding it to cope with ever escalating bills and I believe that we have to do something before the weather turns really bad in winter."

Ends.