Wednesday 17 December 2008

EU to cause Winter heating crisis for thousands of pensioners

"The EU's climate change package debated yesterday (16.12.08) in the European Parliament is not merely wrong but potentially lethal", said Jeffrey Titford, the UK Independence Party MEP for the Eastern Counties.

"With December in Britain already being described as the coldest for thirty years, and significant hikes in fuel bills already in place, the idea of the European Union adding enormous increases to carbon taxes, via its 'Cap and Trade' system, is not merely misguided but downright dangerous.

"Figures from the Office for National Statistics, tell us that during last Winter in the UK we lost 22,400 pensioners over and above the statistical norm - what they call 'Excess Winter Mortality’. A significant proportion of these will be from the Eastern Counties. Of course, what we are really talking about here is not just another statistic but people's loved ones - parents and grandparents".

According to Gordon Lishman, Director General of Age Concern: “It is a national scandal that we have a higher number of excess Winter deaths than every other country in Europe . With this Winter set to be colder than the last‚ the numbers are likely to rise". He added: "The impact of increased energy bills is causing thousands to risk their health by cutting back on heating".

The uncritical acceptance of the climate change agenda by the EU is causing major shortfalls in our energy generating capacity as coal fired power stations are forced to close. According to the CapGemini Report, the European Energy Markets Observatory, published in November: “ From 2013, 100% of the Emission Rights will be auctioned to the power sector, which currently gets most of them free of charge. This change will result in tens of billions of euros/pounds in extra cost for the utilities, which will certainly be passed on in the electricity prices".

" Britain cannot afford these extra costs, which are being driven by an outmoded and scientifically dubious panic about climate change. Worse still, what is bad for Britain could be fatal to thousands of pensioners", said Mr Titford.

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