CONSUMERS FEEL THE PAIN WHILST SHAREHOLDERS REAP THE GAIN

Mike Weir MP, SNP Westminster Spokesperson on Energy, has reacted angrily to the news that Centrica, the parent company of Scottish Gas, has made massive profits the week after announcing price rises of 22%. 

“Once again customers feel the pain whilst shareholders reap the gain. This lays bare the fact that these price rises were purely to protect the huge profits being made by Centrica.” 

“If the rising prices are truly the effect of increasing wholesale prices then surely the shareholders should also take some of the pain instead of it all being heaped on long suffering customers. Every increase in gas prices plunges thousands of Scots households into fuel poverty.”   

“Worse still we have the ludicrous situation where Scottish Gas are running an advertising campaign pointing out that their competitors are also raising prices, carefully omitting to point out that many of these rises are lower than that announced by Scottish Gas.” 

“The relentless rises in energy prices  shows up the total inadequacy of the Chancellor’s winter fuel payments, which he has already announced will remain frozen for the next two years. Urgent action is needed by government to look at the adequacy of such payments and also at the actions of these energy companies.”