THE 54 per cent increase in the energy cap will affect every household in East Lothian. My priority as an MSP is addressing poverty, and I recognise the critical challenge posed by the £693 price cap per unit used, and for connecting to energy suppliers.

This isn’t a ‘maximum’: using more energy means higher bills. This is unaffordable for many, putting them at risk of fuel poverty. I’ve already arranged meetings with energy suppliers for March but the implications for those on low incomes or with children, those on universal credit, or receiving other benefits need urgent scrutiny.

It doesn’t have to be this way – these are policy decisions made by Boris Johnson

In France, price hikes will be limited to four per cent. In Spain, the government introduced a windfall tax on electricity generators and gas producers. In Germany, the government slashed a surcharge on bills to support renewables. The German government will support them by increasing state subsidies, drawn from higher carbon taxes. These were all policy choices available to the UK Government.

In Scotland, we don’t hold powers over energy in order to introduce a windfall tax on energy companies.

In the meantime, £150 council tax discounts will be sent automatically to all households in bands A to D and to those that already get a council tax discount. If you aren’t sure of your band, check it at saa.gov.uk. The £150 is paid in April, when the first high bills arrive.

Looking ahead, the UK Cold Weather Payment is now devolved, doubled by Holyrood to £50 as part of ‘Low Income Winter Heating Assistance’, guaranteed regardless of temperatures. This also incorporates the winter fuel allowance of around £200 for older pensioners and other vulnerable households. I’ll explore any options available for increasing winter heating assistance in 2022/23.

Many energy-saving steps are easy and cost nothing, or are inexpensive (such as DIY draught-proofing windows); see energysaving trust.org.uk/hub/quick-tips-to-save-energy

I recently chaired East Lothian poverty workshops and know that local communities and their resilience teams responded magnificently to previous emergencies and throughout lockdowns. I’m sure they will step up again, especially as foodbank use in East Lothian is already up by 40 per cent plus.

Chancellor Sunak’s £200 loan, clawed back over four years, falls far short of a targeted windfall tax on energy suppliers. Giving customers some of their own money back is fair; suppliers lending them some of their billions in profits, then taking it away again, isn’t.

With our growing, thriving renewables industry, we shouldn’t have the numbers of people in fuel poverty we have now – we need the powers over energy devolved to Scotland as soon as possible.