Islanders affected by rising heating oil prices have related their experiences to the UK Labour Minister who set up the fuel support fund.

Martin McCluskey MP, Minister for Energy Consumers, who announced the scheme in parliament earlier this week, was in Lewis yesterday (Thursday) to hear directly from island households.

Accompanied by Torcuil Crichton MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, the Minister met with some of those who have faced sharply rising heating oil prices resulting from the conflict with Iran.

The UK government allocated  £4.6 million in support for heating oil customers in Scotland on Monday and the Scottish government followed with £5.4 million more.

In Lewis Mr McCluskey met with Point and Sandwick’s  “Warmth Without Worry” scheme, which offers direct help to those in need.

He heard from people about the challenges of warming their homes and the worries about rising heating oil costs sent spiralling by uncertainty over supplies.

Eight out of ten households in Point contacted by the project run in partnership with Point and Sandwick Power were in fuel poverty with six out of ten spending more than 20 per cent of their income on keeping warm.

Speaking afterwards Mr McCluskey said: “There is £54 million in support across the UK,  this is direct support into peoples’ pockets to help them when we know that hearing oil prices are going through the roof.

“We also have to look at the case for regulation of the heating oil industry. I heard from people today about the difficulties they face with orders being cancelled and then rebooked at higher prices.”

Torcuil Crichton MP said it was important for decision makers to hear directly from those at the sharp end of the heating oil crisis and  vital that the Scottish Government used local agencies to direct support for those most in need.

He said: “The extra funding from the Scottish Government is welcome but by choosing to distribute support centrally instead of through local councils there is a danger that local needs will be overlooked. The islands have the highest fuel poverty figures in the country, it is important that the funds are targeted to where they are needed most and to the people most in need.”

The Labour MPs also held meetings with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Tighean Innse Gall, the housing and energy agency to discuss fuel poverty and energy costs.

Mr McCluskey is the second UK Energy Minister to visit the islands in as many weeks. In early March Michael Shanks MP, who is in charge of grid reform and renewables,  met with community energy companies and the council to discuss grid connections and the potential for community shares in wind farm developments.