Alasdair Allan, the SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar has welcomed the Scottish Government’s announcement that it will seek - from within its own resources- to right the wrongs of Labour’s austerity policy which scrapped universal winter fuel payments for pensioners. 

As the Scottish Parliament’s repeated calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse their decision to defund these benefits was ignored, the SNP Scottish Government has taken action to protect pensioners by introducing the  Pension Age Winter Heating Payment scheme.

The full details are set to be announced in the Scottish Budget next week and, if passed, should come into effect next winter. 

The Western Isles still experience the highest levels of fuel poverty in the UK.

Following the announcement, Alasdair Allan commented:

“Naturally, I am relieved the Scottish Government has taken action to make sure pensioners get the help they deserve. 

“Since Scotland’s Labour MPs voted to scrap universal payments, I have received many emails from pensioners asking how the UK government could have done this. While clearly it is impossible for the Scottish Parliament to mitigate every cut that comes from Westminster, I hope in this instance we can do that. 

“Of course, that is still dependent on the Scottish Parliament passing the Scottish Budget after it is presented to Holyrood next week. Given Scottish Labour’s surprise U-turn to support the introduction of a universal winter fuel payment in Scotland, I now strongly urge them to support rural Scots and back the budget.

“Despite a supposed change in the UK Government, the Scottish Parliament once again finds itself needing to mitigate damaging Westminster policies. The Scottish Government has already used £134 million of its budget this year to do this. 

“It is increasingly clear that we need to become an independent nation to stop Scotland constantly being put in this position as a result of harsh policies from the UK.”

ENDS