Minister hits back at claim OAP heating scheme is not working

HOUSING minister Alex Neil yesterday hit back at Labour's claims that a government scheme to provide central heating to pensioners is not working.

The suggestion that just 10 per cent of eligible applicants received new heating is "absolute nonsense", he said.

Mr Neil told Holyrood's local government and communities committee that around 7,100 of the eligible applicants, 47 per cent of the total, received new heating. But questioning by Labour MSPs forced him to retract his claim that the Scottish Government's 2009 50.9 million budget for the scheme had been spent.

Mr Neil then told the committee that the money had been "committed".

The energy assistance package (EAP) offers advice on energy efficiency and home insulation, and can install central heating for free for those most in need.

Labour MSP Mary Mulligan claimed nine out of ten pensioners who applied to EAP for new heating were rejected and said the SNP was "letting down Scotland's pensioners". It said just 10 per cent of the 42,000 people eligible for help were given new central heating.

Mr Neil told the committee that 96 per cent of the 69,000 callers to the EAP helpline had received some form of assistance, labelling Labour's claims "absolute nonsense".

The minister said of the 15,000 applicants who were referred as potential recipients for new heating, more than 7,100 households had central heating installed, "a conversion rate of 47 per cent".

Mr Neil added: "Those who are saying there is only a 10 per cent conversion rate clearly do not understand how this programme works." He said a "range of reasons" could explain why 53 per cent of the applicants either did not qualify or did not go ahead with the programme.