Chamber and committees

Fatal Accidents on Roads in Dumfries and Galloway, by Month and Road

People Killed in Accidents on Roads in Dumfries and Galloway, by Month and Road

As has been publicised, the intention is to begin to pay annual recurrent claims for Rural Priorities in early 2010, as soon as possible after the end of the scheme year. This in line with arrangements for previous agri-environment schemes, where such payments were also made after the end of the scheme year, which is January to December for Rural Priorities.

The timing is also informed by the need to comply with European requirements for all inspections for land-based activities to be carried out before payments can be made.

My officials will of course make every effort to ensure payments are made as soon as possible.

Following the recommendations of the independent Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum the Energy Assistance Package was introduced, a holistic package of services to tackle the three main causes of fuel poverty: low incomes; fuel prices; and energy inefficiency. Stage 4 of the package is targeted at those most likely to be fuel poor, including for the first time families with children under five or a disabled child under 16. Work is underway to raise awareness of the EAP and develop brand recognition.

The Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum is responsible for monitoring the Energy Assistance Package and following consideration of the first six months of operation recommended that the threshold for energy inefficiency dwellings be raised to cover more fuel poor households. Scottish ministers accepted this recommendation.

A procurement exercise to appoint a managing agent from 2010-2011 is currently underway. The revised contract will reflect the monitoring requirements of the Energy Assistance Package.

Additionally, the Energy Saving Trust will identify to the managing agent those applicants that it considers likely to have a SAP rating of 54 or below who were not referred to Stage 4. The managing agent will contact them to offer a SAP survey to establish whether theirs is an energy inefficient dwelling.

For all those applicants with an energy inefficient dwelling, the managing agent will make arrangements to check evidence of the householder''s eligibility once the amendment comes into effect. In order to limit waiting times, they will combine this eligibility check with the survey to decide the specification of measures.

The Energy Assistance Package is supported by a budget of over £60 million in 2009-10. Fuel poverty budget spend to date is £15.728 million. This is in line with the expected profile as spend on installation measures is traditionally weighted towards the last two quarters of the financial year.

Over 16,000 have taken up help,

Benefits checks have achieved nearly £454,000 in extra income,

400 households have moved on to a social tariff,

Over 2,100 insulation measures have been delivered and

4,683 central heating systems have been installed.

The independent Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum is responsible for monitoring the Energy Assistance Package (EAP) and considered the operation of the first six months of the package at their meeting on 27 October 2009. The forum considered that EAP is already delivering real benefits to people in fuel poverty “ increased income through benefit reviews, reduced prices through access to social tariffs, and more efficient heating through better insulation and new heating systems and recommended specific changes to further improve its operation and widen access to stage 4.

The Scottish Government announced on 4 November 2009 changes to operating procedures to speed up delivery of stage 4 and amendment to regulations to broaden the definition of an energy inefficient home.