SNP MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, James Dornan, has today written to Scottish Power and asked for an urgent meeting to discuss yesterday's announcement that they plan to increase the cost of gas by 19% and electricity by 10%.

The price hikes, believed to affect 2.4 million households across the UK, will come in to effect from 1 August and have already been described as a 'body blow for consumers' by watchdog Consumer Focus.

Commenting on the rise, Mr Dornan said: "This is not the time for big energy companies to be hitting already hard pressed families in the pocket.

"There is clearly a consensus across civic Scotland that household budgets need to be protected. That's why the Scottish Government have pledged to freeze council tax and pursue a policy of no compulsory redundancies within the public sector.

"Whilst clearly Scottish Power is a private sector firm, they should acknowledge that consensus and act accordingly.

"During the election campaign I met constituents of mine who were struggling as it is to pay their gas and electricity bills. This rise is only going to make things worse for them - where is the fairness in that?

"I have written to Scottish Power asking for an urgent meeting to discuss these hikes and I'm interested to hear how they seem to be able to justify them when their parent company Iberdrola have posted - 1 billion euro of earnings in a quarter for the first time this year."

Notes:

Scottish Power has its HQ within the Glasgow Cathcart constituency and is the largest employer within the constituency

Iberdrola press release.