Housing (Scotland) Act 2001

88 Statement on fuel poverty

(1) The Scottish Ministers must, within 12 months of the coming into force of this section, prepare and publish a statement setting out the measures which they and local authorities have taken, are taking and intend to take for the purpose of ensuring, so far as reasonably practicable, that persons do not live in fuel poverty.

(2) The measures to be set out in the statement must include measures for ensuring the efficient use of energy (for example, by installation of appropriate equipment or insulation).

(3) The statement must specify—

(a) a target date (which must be within 15 years of the date of publication of the statement) for achieving the purpose mentioned in subsection (1), and

(b) interim objectives towards the achievement of that purpose.

(4) The Scottish Ministers—

(a) must keep the statement under review,

(b) may from time to time modify the statement, and

(c) must publish any modified statement.

(5) Before preparing or modifying the statement the Scottish Ministers must consult—

(a) such persons as appear to them to represent the interests of those living in fuel poverty, and

(b) such other persons,

as they think fit.

(6) The Scottish Ministers must, within 4 years of the date of publication of the statement and at least once every 4 years thereafter, prepare and publish a report on the measures referred to in the statement which have been taken since the date of its publication or, as the case may be, the date of the last such report.