UK Government must explain how it aims to cut energy bills, says minister
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband announced on Thursday that the Government would not segment the UK into zones where bills would depend on local supply and demand.
Such an initiative was expected to benefit Scots due to the high level of power generation in the country.
Instead, Mr Miliband promised a 'reformed system of national pricing', which he said was 'the best way to deliver an electricity system that is fairer, more affordable, and more secure, at less risk to vital investment in clean energy than other alternatives'.
Responding to the announcement, Scotland's Energy Secretary, Gillian Martin, urged the UK Government to urgently lay out plans to cut bills, citing a Labour manifesto pledge from last year's general election.
'The UK Government promised to cut bills – instead, they have increased,' she said.
'They need to set out immediately how they will sort out the high energy bills faced by the people of Scotland – in an energy-rich country like Scotland, people should not be struggling to pay their bills.
'They promised that bills would fall by £300, but bills are higher than they were this time last year.
'The UK Government have set out what they will not do; they now need to set out what they will do to bring bills down.
'Given the significance of Scotland's renewables sector, the Scottish Government must be fully involved in decisions on reforming the national energy market in a way that brings down bills and delivers a level playing field for renewables in Scotland.'
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