Strathspey MP highlights rising costs crisis
Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry has called on the UK Government to take urgent action to help Scottish families deal with increasing costs.
His comments come as a new report by consumer organisation Which? shows growing pressure on Scotland household budgets because of higher living costs such as food and energy costs.
The research showed that Scottish people are more anxious than the rest of the UK about key everyday consumer issues.
"When it comes to daily essentials, Scottish consumers demonstrate greater concern than the rest of the UK regarding fuel prices (68 per cent compared to 64 per cent) and energy prices (66 per cent to 63 per cent)," he pointed out.
Mr Hendry (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey) has long campaigned for a fairer energy market and raised the issue most recently in a Westminster Hall Debate.
The MP told ministers that the UK Government’s Energy Cap measure did not go far enough to protect rural consumers from rising energy costs.
Following the publication of this report he said: "This report demonstrates the increasing challenges families face. I regularly hear from constituents that are living day in and day out with the growing pressures on family budgets – whether the costs of the weekly shop, prices at the pump or keeping the lights and heating on.
"When it comes to energy, it is clear that there are a number of actions the UK Government could and should take that will deliver a real saving to Highland consumers. In the Highlands and Islands, distribution charges mean 4p per unit more for customers than other parts of the UK.
"I have called on the UK Government, Ofgem and energy companies, to end this inequality without increasing the cost for others: it can and should be done."
