More than one in ten people in Scotland are living in fuel poverty, according to government figures obtained by shadow energy minister Tom Greatrex.

The Scotsman newspaper reported that the Westminster MP has challenged the SNP and the Scottish Government.

He said they should do more to help Scots struggling to pay to heat their homes.

Figures show 658,000 people in Scotland are living in fuel

poverty - defined by spending more than 10 per cent of household income paying for gas and electricity.

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Extreme winter conditions in the north may contribute to the 12.5% rate of fuel poverty, which is higher than anywhere else in the UK.

Greatrex said: "This is a damning indictment of the SNP's five years of failure in tackling fuel poverty, and a clear example of skewed priorities. When the SNP cut the fuel poverty budget in 2011, that was their decision for which they should be held to account."

A spokesperson for the government outlined the "raft of measures" in place to support those in need, including a £65m budget to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy over the next year.

The UK government should "take a firmer stance" with energy companies, she added.

She said: "Between 2009/10 and 2011/12, 62,000 homes benefited from loft insulation, 25,000 had cavity wall insulation installed and over 54,000 were referred for new central heating systems and insulation under Scottish Government schemes. Scotland is an energy-rich nation and people should live in warm, comfortable homes."

(NE)