Select committee: Scottish Affairs Committee
Conclusion 3
First Report - Cost of living: impact on rural communities in Scotland
Published 24 Jan 2024
Paragraph 33
Addressed to Scotland Office
Scottish Affairs Committee Cost of living: impact on rural communities in Scotland All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The unprecedented package of financial support delivered to households across Great Britain by the UK Government last winter was welcome and helped to mitigate the full impact of the dramatic energy price increases experienced during the period. However, the Committee heard that the blanket level of energy support provided was not sufficiently “rural-proofed”–it did not account for additional costs required for many households in rural Scotland. Energy schemes prioritised administrative ease to accelerate funds getting to people over specific targeting. Whilst understandable in the context of the immediate crisis, a system of support more tailored towards the acute pressures faced by rural communities would have been more effective. In addition, many off-grid users reported unacceptably long waits to receive payments. Support measures need to ensure parity between households connected to the grid and those reliant on alternative fuels.
From: Scottish Affairs Committee, First Report - Cost of living: impact on rural communities in Scotland (HC 153), paragraph 33, 24 January 2024
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 18 April 2024.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government notes the Committee's recommendations on defining rural Scotland and on transport, states that it "does not agree" with the call for a new review of cost of living support, and describes housing and transport policy as devolved matters for the Scottish Government.
- On the proposed review of winter 2022/23 support, the government says reviews by individual departments are already under way and "will address much of this recommendation", and it "does not agree" with conducting a new one.
- It says a further UK final impact and value-for-money evaluation of the energy support schemes is being commissioned to run until summer 2025, with findings to be shared with the Committee and published.
- On tailoring support to rural areas, the government says it "understands" the Committee's view that support could have been more tailored, but states that this "would have required these novel schemes to be adapted and further complicated" and delayed payments.
- On transport, the government "notes" the recommendations, says ferry, bus and active travel services are devolved, and says it will "where possible and appropriate" support the Scottish Government, including through the Islands Connectivity Task & Finish Group.