1. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how the fuel insecurity fund is supporting residents in the Cunninghame South constituency. (S6O-02456)

Each fuel insecurity fund partner is distinct in terms of delivery with regard to the use of funding, targeted support measures and approach, which is tailored to their local area. Cunninghame Housing Association has received £154,000 in the past year as part of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations’ support, which is directed towards social housing tenants of registered social landlords. That has helped 1,500 tenants through fuel vouchers, support with energy debt and the provision of energy advice and low-energy products. To date, Advice Direct Scotland has provided more than £120,000 in funding to residents of the Cunninghame South constituency, at an average of £800 of support per household.

Although the key energy policy levers remain with the United Kingdom Government, it is welcome that the Scottish National Party Scottish Government continues to support people who are facing unprecedented rises in the cost of energy.

Does the minister agree that the Tories at Westminster have so far failed to take the necessary steps to ensure that households never again experience an energy crisis such as the present one? Will she join me in calling for the UK Government to put the energy and cost of living crisis front and centre of its work?

Of course, I agree with Ruth Maguire. We have consistently called on the UK Government to take action of the sort that she has mentioned. Although we are doing all that we can with our powers to support as many people as possible during the cost crisis, the biggest problem is the source of the problem. Only the UK Government has the fiscal and policy levers to truly address this unacceptable situation. Until it does so, we can step in to mitigate the situation for households only when there is a crisis.

Meaningful targeted support on energy bills for those who need it most must be prioritised, which is why we continue to call for the introduction of a social tariff for the most vulnerable in our society. I had a meeting with the UK minister, Amanda Solloway, on that very issue this week. The UK Government also needs to make the necessary energy market reforms, to permanently break the link between the price of electricity and the cost of gas and thereby ensure that the people of such a renewable energy-rich nation as Scotland never have to endure such a situation again.