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SNP welcomes Heating Oil Focus
16th November 2008
Lord Whitty, Chairman of Consumer Focus - the UK government's self-styled 'consumer champion' - has confirmed that in future, the organisation will include home heating oil users as well as , when considering and researching the operation of energy markets within the UK.
The commitment was given in answer to a question Scottish National Party (SNP) Westminster Energy Spokesperson, Mike Weir MP, at a recent meeting of the Business and Enterprise Select Committee. The Committee were questioning Lord Whitty and Ed Mayo, Chief Executive of the government's new consumer watchdog.
Mr Weir has previously campaigned for the situation faced by home fuel oil consumers to be considered by the organisation, and persuaded the committee to include such a recommendation in their recent report on the energy markets.
Speaking in response to comments Mr Weir said, "I was delighted to hear the chair of the new consumer organisation confirm that they will include home fuel oil consumers in their considerations of the energy market.
"This has been a particularly important issue in Scotland where almost a third of homes are not on the mains gas grid. Many, especially in rural areas, rely on home fuel oil.
"It is utterly ludicrous that they have not been covered by either Ofgem or Energywatch in the past, despite the fact that the rocketing price of home fuel oil has outstripped rises in gas and electricity. These consumers were simply not appearing on the radar of the UK government, regulators or consumer bodies.
"The inclusion of this market within the ambit of Consumer Focus means that their situation will finally be considered in the same way as electricity and gas grid consumers."