Tenants in Glasgow’s Maryhill and East End and a Fife hospital could be on the way to cheaper fuel bills as an eco-heating system is backed by Holyrood.

Alex Salmond has announced £2.67m investment in three demonstration "district heating" projects.

The projects will involve a central boiler generating heat for a housing estate or hospital complex as part of a day focussing on housing and social justice.

It is thought district heating can lead to greater fuel efficiency and economies of scale, leading to cheaper fuel bills.

The First Minister officially launched the scheme at the Wyndford estate in Maryhill on Tuesday.

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The scheme could see tenants save up to 25% on their fuel bills as a result of the new technology.

Mr Salmond said: "By investing £2.67m in these district heating schemes, we are working towards reducing fuel poverty and bringing down heating bills for some of those who are most in need.

"That is good news for tenants in Glasgow and for our NHS in Fife, and the low-carbon technology means it’s also better for the environment.

"It is the latest in a range of measures we are taking to help make low-cost, low-carbon heating technology more widely available for social and private housing, where, for example, we are making Home Renewables Loans available for private households.

"We will continue to do all we can to work with stakeholders to bring bills down and consign the obscenity of fuel poverty to history."

Mr Salmond made the announcement before travelling to Edinburgh to deliver the inaugural Shelter Scotland Edwin Morgan lecture.

The First Minister added: "Housing is one of the most basic elements of social justice. Put very simply, having a warm, secure and affordable roof over your head makes an enormous difference to your life chances."

(IT)