UK Government needs to ‘stop dithering’ on energy help – Swinney

The First Minister has called on the UK Government to “stop dithering” about support for people facing higher energy costs because of the war in Iran.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Sunday Show, John Swinney said matters concerning energy prices are reserved for Westminster.

Energy prices have risen because Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes and the only maritime passage between the Gulf and the Arabian Sea, following attacks on the country by the US and Israel.

While the UK Government has said a package of support to households struggling with higher heating oil costs is coming, Mr Swinney accused it of “twiddling its thumbs” on the matter.

He said: “What’s necessary though is for the United Kingdom to stop dithering and get on with taking some decisions about this to reduce costs.

“Of course they are dithering, because we’ve had an announcement that something is coming and something is coming and something is coming, and it never comes from the UK Government.

“They better get a move on, because people’s heating costs are going through the roof, and the UK Government is sitting twiddling its thumbs.”

Mr Swinney also said he was still in discussion with the UK Government on any use of Prestwick airport by US forces during the conflict.

Mr Swinney said: “I’ve got to act within the law. I’m making a point about the fact that I don’t believe the American-Israeli intervention in Iran is consistent with the international rules-based system.

“I’ve got to, as a First Minister that operates within the law, make sure that our actions are operating within the law.

“And all the issues around about the use of Prestwick relate to defence and international relations, which are, of course, reserved issues which is why I need to discuss it with the UK Government.”

Also speaking on the Sunday Show, Westminister energy minister Martin McCluskey said there would “specifically” be energy support for Scotland.

The Labour MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West said: “I understand why people are so worried across the country at the moment about the rising cost of energy.

“The Government is entirely focused on the cost of living and making sure we get those prices right down.

“That’s why the Chancellor took action in the budget, why people are going to see a reduction in their energy bills this coming April, which protects them until the end of June, regardless of what is happening in the Middle East.

“We will not cut any corners in terms of holding people to account in making sure that petrol retailers and heating oil suppliers are doing right by their customers – that’s why we had them in last week.

“The CMA has now launched an investigation into the heating oil sector and in the next couple of days we will set out in detail what we will do in terms of support for people on heating oil.

“We will lay out the details tomorrow, and there will be support available specifically for Scotland because we know that heating oil in Scotland is more of an issue than in other parts of the country. We will set out the details tomorrow.

“People should be reassured that the Government is looking at this.

“There is a wider point about the regulation of the heating market. For example, heat networks were unregulated, so we have introduced regulation for that.