SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 23/05/05

SSP: Scottish Power “getting fat on the backs of pensioners living in poverty”

The Scottish Socialist Party today called for Scottish Power to be brought back into public ownership as the company prepares to announce record profits to the Stock Exchange.
SSP national convenor Colin Fox accused Scottish Power of “getting fat on the backs of pensioners living in poverty”.

Colin said today;
“Scottish Power’s obscene profits are an absolute disgrace.
“This is a company making itself and its shareholders fat on the backs of Scottish pensioners living in poverty.
“Every winter Scottish pensioners are dying prematurely because they can’t afford to heat their homes adequately.
“Scottish Power must be brought back into public ownership to end the obscenity of pensioners dying through lack of adequate heating while a private company gloats over its profits.”
“The Scottish Socialist Party fights for the establishment of a publicly owned Scottish national energy company.”
[ends]

Notes
Research for the SSP shows that 134,000 (39%) single pensioners and 83,000 (26%) Scottish pensioner couples live in fuel poverty, which means that they must spend 10% or more of their income to adequately heat their homes.
Poverty is the main cause of premature death among the elderly in Scotland according to a study by Energy Action Scotland.
Between 1997-2002, Scotland registered 16,600 more deaths for over-65s between Dec & March than in the rest of the year.
Premature deaths are highest among OAPs in Glasgow with one-in-36 of those aged over 65 dying during the winter months.