Tackling Fuel Poverty is an issue I've been working on for almost a year now
I genuinely believe that this winter there will be choices between heating and eating for individual families up and down the country. The fuel poverty rate in the north-east is approximately 24%; we have the second highest rate in the country.
I took the opportunity last week to speak on the issue in the House of Commons. My constituency is the second biggest constituency in the country, at 1,150 square miles, and it does not just face problems of rural fuel poverty. The problem is in urban areas as well: one and a half million dwellings in the country are dependent on heating oil. On top of that, significant amounts of LPG are used. We are talking not about a small number of people but a very significant number who are greatly affected by this, which is an important problem throughout the north-east.
You can read my speech here
Next week on the blog I will be highlighting the issues around DCC Fuels.
