The Petition calls on the Government to target emergency financial help at those without access to the gas main to match the support currently provided to those on the mains gas that is provided through the six biggest gas and electricity providers.

The petition comes off the back of a Highland Energy Survey that was sent out by Danny Alexander and Charles Kennedy to some 28,000 homes across Badenoch, Strathspey, Nairnshire, Lochaber, Skye, Easter Ross and the Black Isle.

The results of the households survey show:

Only 7% on mains gas

51% in fuel poverty, 21% of which in extreme fuel poverty

70% have seen heating bills rise more than 10% in last year

Only 7% think heating fuel competitively priced

Commenting, Danny Alexander, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey said:

"The Government cannot keep burying its head in the snow and ignoring the plight of households off the gas grid.

"In presenting this petition Charles and I are joining thousands of our constituents in imploring the government to put these households on a level playing field.

"In many areas there is no alternative to relying on heating oil, LPG or solid fuel to keep warm. Despite this, the market for these fuels is not regulated, leaving prices higher and more volatile. The social tariffs which the Government has negotiated with the 'big six' energy giants do not help with heating fuel bills at all - and when prices soar, there is no immediate system to highlight the problem.

"The Highlands has had snow on the ground and sub zero temperatures since before Christmas. There is no fairness in the coldest parts of the UK, with below average incomes, having to pay the highest percentage of their income on fuel. The government must act to give Highlanders the fair fuel bills they deserve."

Commenting, Charles Kennedy, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber said:

"This has been a long cold winter right across the UK, but nowhere more so than in the Highlands & Islands.

"With every frost, the budgets of people who rely on heating fuels are being stretched beyond breaking point - and the Government's response so far has been glacial.

"Houses off the mains gas grid are much more likely to be in fuel poverty, but they are among the least likely to receive real help. That must change.

"It simply isn't good enough for Ministers to wonder vaguely about whether credit unions can help. Where they exist, sometimes they can, but it is no answer to the immediate predicament facing a family that cannot afford to refill their tank with oil or LPG during sub-zero conditions."

ENDS

While Vancouver complained of a lack of snow, I couldn't get out of my Aviemore front door for 2 or 3 feet of the stuff. There's only one thing for it. Charles, John and I are hereby announcing the Highland bid to host the 2014 winter Olympics!

Poor Gordon Brown

Our gold medal really got his hopes up.

Finally, he thought, it is perfectly alright to find a way of plunging downhill faster than anyone else – without a brake.

Sorry, Gordon, but there will be no first place for you.

You have failed. You know it, we know, the country knows it.

----

Conference – I have been working on this manifesto for nearly a year now. Since then, my wife has become pregnant with our second child – working on a manifesto has some similarities, my hopes, my ambitions for how things will change once it comes out.

But with the due date for our baby at the end of May, I hope to get the manifesto out before then!

This election is a huge opportunity for the Liberal Democrats.

Your hard work, your dedication to our Party and your ceaseless activity to get the Lib Dem word out, means we are poised to make gains across the land. I hope our hard work on the manifesto will help you to close the deal.

Two ideas will dominate this election campaign: change and fairness. Only one party is arguing at this election for both fairness and change: the Liberal Democrats.

Change: because business as usual is not the answer to the economic, political, and environmental crises that we face.

Fairness: because too many people in our society are still help back because of the circumstances of their birth, their sex or their parent's bank balance.

The dreadful crises we have faced give us the chance to reshape our country.

We believe that change must be built around that one simple, powerful, and very British value: fairness.

Unlike Gordon Brown – and despite my red hair – I am not known for my bad language. But fairness is not the only ‘F word' I am going to use today.

It sometimes helps to be able to sum up the other parties in a single word, so let me do it for you.

So what is the "F" word for Labour: I say it is F for failed.

So what is the "F" word for the Conservatives: I say it is F for fake.

And what is the "F" word for the SNP: I say it is F for flop.

Failed ……. Fake ……. Flop ……. Nothing could contrast more with what we want for the future

The Liberal Democrat manifesto will be short, direct and to the point.

We have stripped away everything that is not essential because the country cannot afford it.

And we have set out in detail – more directly than any other party – how we will tackle the crisis in our nation's finances.

We won't make a single promise to the British people without saying exactly how we will pay for it. And the total effect of our plans will be to reduce public spending and reduce the deficit.

We have taken some difficult decisions. I know it is not easy to put on hold some long-standing party commitments that we won't be able to deliver in the next Parliament.

We will not make promises we can't keep.

But what we can promise is four big steps to a fairer Britain.

Only four.

But four big changes – more significant than anything Labour or the Tories will offer - to reshape the country we live in.

Fair taxes.

A new, fair start for all children at school.

A rebalanced, green economy.

And clean, open politics.

----

Fair taxes first. Thanks to Labour and the Tories, the poorest people lose more of their income in tax than the richest. That's not fairness.

A banker pays only a fifth of tax on his capital gains, while the person who cleans his office gives a third of their meagre wage to the taxman. That's not fairness.

Our plan is simple: we will make the first £10,000 you earn tax free.

That will put £700 into the pockets of every working Scot. £1400 for the average family with two earners. Real money back in the pockets of people who are struggling to make ends meet.

Hundreds of thousands of Scots will pay no income tax at all.

We'll pay for it by closing loopholes exploited by the wealthy.

Yes, ……..Baron …… Michael …… Anthony …….. Ashcroft, Vice Chair of the Conservative Party, that does mean you as well. It's time to stop thinking you can pass laws, buy seats, but not pay our taxes.

We will tax capital gains the same as income. End higher rate relief on pension contributions. A new mansion tax paid on the value of homes over £2 million, and fair taxes on polluting air travel.

It is only the Liberal Democrats who are brave enough to tell some of the wealthiest people in the land that – at a time when millions of families are struggling to get by - they will have to pay more.

The first £10,000 you earn, tax free. That's fairness.

----

Second, a fair chance for all children.

Under Labour and the Tories in the UK, a child's chances in life are more closely linked to their parents income than anywhere else in Europe. Social mobility has gone into reverse. That's not fairness.

Our plan will give every child the individual attention they need to reach their full potential.

We are the only party that will spend more on schools - targeted at the children who need the most help.

Head-teachers will be freed to spend that money on what they think will make the most difference. Whether it is smaller classes, more one-to-one tuition, or after school classes.

Even in the depths of the recession, we will find new money for education – by scaling back tax credits to better off families – because it is so important to the future of our country.

Third, a new, rebalanced economy.

Labour and the Tories have been so in thrall to the City, they ignored the rest of the economy and caused the longest recession on record. That's not fairness.

The Liberal Democrats, with Vince Cable as chancellor, will break up the banks so that they can never again wreck the economy. And until the break up is complete, our new banking levy is the only credible proposal in British politics to make them pay for the guarantee we give them.

We will build a balanced, sustainable economy – growth that lasts. In our first year in government, we will invest to create new jobs and boost the recovery.

And crucially, that investment will be green.

Labour and Conservatives ignored the environment and pushed nuclear energy, dirty coal, airport expansion. That's not fairness for future generations.

By investing in new, low carbon industries we can put Britain at the forefront of sustainable industries – keeping in work while we protect our planet too.

And, of course, we will repair the nation's finances. This year, government is spending £178 billion more than it raises in tax. Even when the recovery gets fully underway, that gap is predicted to be £78 billion.

If we don't close that gap over the next few years, our economy will be ruined. We will set out – in detail – our plans for doing so.

Our measures include: the banking levy, scrapping the child trust fund, no like-for-like replacement of Trident, capping public sector pay rises, scrapping ID cards and biometric passports. I could go on.

And yes, that will mean economies in the Scottish budget too.

Just think: if Scotland been independent, we wouldn't have a budget to repair. Those two huge, irresponsible banks would have sunk our economy completely. The IMF would be writing our budget, not a Scottish government.

Fourth, clean and decent politics.

Under Labour and the Tories, the broken political system has given governments total power with a small minority of votes. That's not fairness.

They have conspired to create a corrupt system of expenses, and then allow those who break the rules to hang on in office. That's not fairness.

Our plan will put power back where it belongs: with the people.

A fair voting system to end safe seats and ensure representative government;

giving people the power to sack their MPs if they break the rules;

power taken from Westminster and given to communities;

an end to big money in politics.

Full home rule for Scotland, immediate implementation of the Calman proposals to give the Scottish Parliament proper financial responsibility.

Reforming politics is essential to make the country fairer.

----

On top of these steps, our manifesto will also set out how a Liberal Democrat government will:

- Protect the NHS frontline, using the health savings we find to safeguard services

- immediately restore the link between pensions and earnings, so pensioners don't fall further behind when growth returns

- giving our brave service men and women a decent living wage by cutting desk jobs at the MOD.

---

Conference, Nick Clegg will be here with us this afternoon. I have known him for 15 years and have worked with him closely since he became our leader – as his chief of staff and on this manifesto.

I can tell you that of the three party leaders, he is the best qualified of them all to be Prime Minister. He is plain-speaking, tells it as he sees it, and most importantly his politics is motivated by his deeply held belief that this country needs to be fairer. His leadership is what our country needs.

He has been clear from the start that in these difficult times mean we must be clear about our priorities:

Fair taxes.

A fair start for all children.

A rebalanced, green economy.

And clean, open politics.

I want to be clear about one thing: those four steps are a unified package. They must be implemented together if we are to get fairness in Britain. All for one, and one for all.

The more Liberal Democrat votes, the more Liberal Democrat MPs, the more power we will have to deliver our package for a fairer Britain.

I know we are ready to lead this country. In fact, I believe we are the only party with a clear plan that can lead the country out of the mess we are in.

The next election isn't between Brown and Cameron, much though they would both like to pretend that it is.

It's between the old way of doing politics and the real change represented by Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats.

If you want to waste your vote on changing nothing, then vote for Labour or the Tories.

If you want to guarantee fairness, vote Liberal Democrat.

If you want to guarantee change – real change for everyone – vote Liberal Democrat.

If you want a Party with fairness in it's very DNA, then don't waste your vote on anything else, vote for a Party that will bring about change, change that works for you – vote for the Liberal Democrats.

ends

During the Westminster Hall debate on Home Energy Efficiency and Fuel Poverty, secured by Gordon MP Malcolm Bruce, Danny outlined the huge inequality in fuel bills and the urgent need for action to get Highlanders to the front of the queue for help.

Commenting after the debate Danny said:

"According to our recent survey over half of households in the Highlands are living in fuel poverty and over 20% are in extreme fuel poverty. Many of these houses are off the gas grid and are classed as ‘hard to treat' homes. Their bills continue to rise, they most need help and yet are last to get it.

"The current system is failing to help those who need it most. Heating oil, the major source of fuel in Highland rural communities, is unregulated and big oil companies have no incentives to allow suppliers to introduce social tariffs. Energy companies are able to meet their energy efficiency obligations by concentrating on easy to treat urban homes and leaving hard to treat rural homes, where the need is greatest, to the end of the queue.

"The Minister talked of consultations and future schemes starting in 2012. That is little comfort for families struggling now to pay bills during one of the coldest winters in living memory.

"There are government measures for help with energy bills but they fail to reach those in remote and rural areas, off the gas grid, who need them most. The Minister accepted more needed to be done to make things fairer, it must be done now."

ENDS

Mr Alexander, Lib Dem MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, said:

"Whatever the committee's criticisms of the proposed 50p levy for funding superfast broadband, it is simply wrong to say we can just leave this to the market. It would be a huge step backwards to abandon the principle that there should be central funding for the timely roll-out of high speed broadband to areas – such as much of the Highlands – that the market won't reach.

"Without such help urban centres will thrive on the benefits of superfast broadband in the home and at the office while remote and rural areas will fall further behind. All the evidence shows that the market will fail in much of the Highlands and comparable speeds will be many years late, if they arrive at all. In economic competition ‘better late than never' simply does not apply.

"In areas like the Highlands going beyond the 2mb commitment will have a huge impact - it offers the opportunity for many new businesses to be established in rural communities. I have been working with local stakeholders like the council and HIE to make sure there is a fully worked out plan for rolling out this new technology in our area. There is huge demand and appreciation of the economic development that can be harnessed.

"In broadband roll out and speeds we are already falling behind much of the developed world and will continue to do so unless Government takes a lead."

ENDS

Danny Alexander MP and Aird and Loch Ness councillor Hamish Wood raised the issue of the deteriorating structure and the closure of two thirds of the Wellington lay-by on the A82 on north Loch Ness side last summer.

The entire lay-by has recently been closed.

Cllr Wood commented:

"We are calling on Transport Scotland to commit to repairing and reopening this lay-by and commence works in the autumn.

"Any work to it will have to be planned carefully with the local community and A82 trunk road traffic being taken into consideration.

"I hope that Transport Scotland will now commit firmly to this project and put it in their capital plan for the next financial year."

Mr Alexander added:

"The Wellington lay-by is one of the best vantage points from which visitors can enjoy the loch. It is an especially important facility for coach operators.

"It is very frustrating that no action has been taken since we raised this issue almost a year ago. It is vital that the complete closure which we have now seen is not allowed to drag on for years.

"I hope the early repair of the lay-by can be accompanied by a wider look at how the facilities and information there can be enhanced – to improve the experience of visitors and benefit tourism businesses right around the loch."

ENDS

Mr Alexander called the Forum to bring together representatives across the City to maintain the pressure for the bypass, for which funding for the western end was refused by the Scottish government. The forum was attended by local politicians of all parties - including MSPs Dave Thompson and Mary Scanlon, both of whom made very positive contributions - community councillors, representatives of the local business community, and many concerned local residents.

Speaking after the event, Mr Alexander said:

"I am very grateful indeed to all those who attended the event last night. The contributions from all sides clearly demonstrated that the people of Inverness are united in demanding the bypass that our City desperately needs. The cross-party, cross-community unity should send a very powerful signal to the powers that be that we will not allow this project to be forgotten.

"It was clear from the meeting that there is good dialogue between the Highland Council and the Scottish government on this issue, but we need this to bear fruit. There was agreement at the meeting that we should press for wider community engagement in the stakeholder forum that has been established, so that the local voice can be heard by those involved in delivering the project.

"There was also agreement that we need to keep up the campaigning pressure on this issue. Whether locally, on the council, or in the Scottish and Westminster parliaments, there are many channels available for the campaign which we will all exploit. But in doing so we need to remember that whatever our differences with those who control the purse strings, as a City we are united. We have a strong case and we must be persistent."

ends

Analysis of the figures obtained shows that for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey:

For 2009 the average amount of time an 18 - 24 year old claimed jobseekers allowance was 8.5 months.

The average length of claim peaked in September at 10.3 months.

Gordon Brown announced in December that from January 2010, 18 - 24 year olds will be guaranteed a job, work placement or work related skills training after 6 months claiming JSA.

The Liberal Democrats have pledged that as part of their jobs package they will institute a 90 day promise that no young person will claim jobseekers for more than 90 days without receiving financial support to access training, education, work experience or specialist professional help.

Commenting, Danny Alexander said:

"We must not let our young people become long term victims of this recession. Eight and a half months is far too long for them to be stuck claiming JSA and risks them getting trapped in a cycle of unemployment and low expectations.

"I'm glad that the government has lowered their threshold for help from 12 months to 6 but these figures show they have a long way to go to meet that target. Moreover 6 months is still too long.

"Skills and experience for our young people are the most important investments we can make for recovery. That is why we would halve again the government's pledge to 3 months. Our promise would ensure that young people after no more than 90 days claiming JSA would be given the support needed to set them on a path to full-time permanent employment.

"Our young people must be at the centre of economy. We cannot continue to leave them on the outside looking in."

ENDS

The Royal British Legion recently published their general election manifesto which included plans to ensure service families stay together and pledged extra medical and financial support for veterans and injured servicemen. Alongside this the Legion is running the ‘time to do your bit' campaign, which calls on both politicians and members of the public to join them in defence of our defenders and ensure the military covenant is honoured.

The military covenant is a mutual obligation between the nation, the Army and each individual soldier: an expectation of personal sacrifice in return for fair treatment and respect. The Liberal Democrats stand fully behind the military covenant and last year Nick Clegg launched the Don't Short Change Our Troops: Fair Pay for Our Armed Forces campaign.

Speaking after the event, Danny Alexander said:

"I am delighted to make the pledge to ‘do our bit' for this country's armed forces. It is an honour to support this campaign.

"As I know from the wonderful work done through its local organisations in the Highlands, the Royal British Legion does a great service in standing up for our troops and for the military covenant. They are right to say that provision of support and welfare for our armed forces should be automatic.

"It is impossible to put a price on the sacrifices our troops make in operations such as Iraq and Afghanistan - and in the many other operations in which Highland veterans have played such a distinguished part. The least the country can do is to ensure that those people have proper access to the support and services they need, not just when they leave the service but through the rest of their lives.

"We must ensure that our currently serving personnel, our veterans and the families of both are properly honoured. They must receive the pay, the housing and the healthcare that they badly need and richly deserve."

ENDS

During today's Treasury questions in the House of Commons Danny reminded the Minister of discussions before the last budget about ways to ease the burden of debt repayments that are preventing the Highland Council from being able to provide the stimulus needed to create jobs and build new homes. Danny asked if the Minister was happy to revisit this extremely important issue now before the next budget.

Ian Pearson responded that he was ‘more than happy' to look again at proposals.

Currently the Highland Council has ten applicants for every house available to let and spends £15m a year just to service the interest on its £146m housing debt.

Commenting after the exchange Danny said:

"The huge Highland housing debt is a millstone around the council's neck. In these tough financial times, getting the Treasury to see the case for debt relief is a crucial part of our campaign for a fair funding deal for the Highlands.

"Last year, the council and I presented proposals to the government for temporary relief from the multi-million pound annual debt repayment, in order that the money could be spent on creating jobs in much needed improvement of existing housing stock and new affordable home building. With construction one of the hardest hit sectors in the recession locally, government support to create hundreds of jobs would be a significant boost. Our original plan would have supported the building of an extra 330 homes and created 470 jobs.

"It was disappointing that this measure was not included in last year's budget, but I welcome the minister's agreement to look at this again now. While the government has sounded positive but failed to deliver in the past, we must take every opportunity to push for the fairer funding settlement the Highlands need."

ENDS

"Every child should have the chance to learn to swim. Swimming is a very important skill in terms of safety, and can offer enormous health benefits all the way from early childhood to old age.

"A wait of over one thousand days is plainly unacceptable - 3 years is a very long time indeed in a young child's life. I will be seeking to clarify how many children have had to wait so long, and what exactly in the system is causing lessons not to keep pace with demand from parents.

"If - as seems likely - the major constraint is the facilities at the Aquadome, this strengthens the case for a new pool to be an early feature of the proposed university campus in Inverness. It would bring a big and immediate benefit to the whole community and become the foundation for a positive relationship between UHI and people from all over the Highland Capital."

ENDS

"Whoever put Inverness on this list has clearly never been here. One or two poorly designed buildings on the riverside cannot change the fact that the view up the River Ness towards the castle is rightly famous. People are choosing to move to Inverness from across the country because of our quality of life. Of course much can be done to continue improving the City Centre, but if people's choices of where to live are any indication then this misguided criticism is not widely shared."

ENDS

Currently energy companies have 65 working days to inform customers that they have changed their prices, while consumers get only 20 working days to change their tariff once they have received notice.

The ‘fair notice of fuel prices' clause is one of a series of proposals from the Liberal Democrats to improve the effectiveness of the gas and electricity regulator, Ofgem.

Commenting, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey MP Danny Alexander said:

"Energy bills in the Highlands cause real hardship every year and Ofgem should do more to protect customers and not companies. This is an important first step.

"It is bad enough that as many as half of my constituents are budgeting to spend more than 10% of their income on energy bills. It adds insult to injury that companies can up their prices and not notify people for over 3 months.

"The Liberal Democrats are acting now to get an energy regulator who will ensure fair fuel bills for the Highlands."

ENDS

Starting this week, 25,000 flyers are being delivered across the city, urging the Minister to reconsider his controversial decision to leave the key project out of his Strategic Transport Projects Review.

The cards encourage local people to write to the Minister querying the decision to split the by-pass into two separate projects: one connecting the A96 with the A9 near the existing Inshes roundabout, and the other connecting the new junction with the A82 via the existing distributor road, and a new crossing of the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal.

After the project was divided up by government officials, the way was clear for one part to be approved and one part rejected. But the effect is that the Highland Capital gets no by-pass at all. Re-uniting the project would pave the way for its inclusion without the whole projects review needing to be reopened.

Commenting following the launch, local MP Danny Alexander said:

"It's very important that we don't let the bypass be forgotten about in Edinburgh.

"Before the disappointment of the Scottish Government's transport review, there was cross-party agreement locally that the bypass should be a priority for funding.

"I hope we can offer the Minister a way to back down over a decision to withhold support which appears to have been seriously flawed.

"The division of the Inverness bypass into two separate projects by government officials is inconsistent with the approach which is taken to other multi-phase projects in the review. Re-uniting the whole project could allow the situation to be put right, without re-opening the whole review or increasing the number of national priorities from 29.

"That is what we are urging the Minister to do, so that the uncertainty and the politics can be removed. Everyone in Inverness can then come together to resolve remaining practical questions without our efforts being overshadowed by a financial brick wall."

West Inverness Lib Dem councillor Alasdair Christie, who campaigned on the issue of the by-pass in last April's local by-election and has recently been selected as the Lib Dems' Holyrood candidate for the area added:

"The message from Inverness to the Minister has been consistent and clear. Forgetting about the bypass, and the broken promise that it would be built by an SNP Government ‘far sooner' than 2012 is not an option.

"It does not matter how it happens, but we need the Scottish Government to reconsider. If the Minister listens and the bypass is built, I will be the first to give him due credit."

ENDS

The figures for December 2009 show that for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey:

Unemployment has risen by 37 from November, a 2.3% rise in a month.

There are 370 more unemployed since same time last year, a considerable 22.9% increase.

Commenting, Danny Alexander said:

"The big freeze in the Highlands may be finally easing but unemployment continues to hold an icy grip – being able to get to work is only a benefit if you have a job to go to. A 22.9% rise in one year is extremely worrying and must result in concerted action from the Scottish and Westminster governments.

"18-24 year olds are those in greatest need of help. The current jobcentre programs are just not working. Nick Clegg today launched a jobs package that would work. The plans would invest almost £900m in increasing the number of further education places, giving students financial support to return to college and creating a paid internship scheme.

"Unlike the government, the Liberal Democrats would prioritise getting people the training or other help they need to get back into employment from day 1, not once they've been on the unemployment roles for a year."

ENDS

Speaking in the House of Commons today during Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Alexander asked Gordon Brown "Why the government's broadband proposals leave 10% of households, many in the Highlands, completely outside broadband provision and why other rural areas will be at the back of the queue. Businesses will not wait, they will relocate; is the Prime Minister happy leaving rural areas at the back of the queue?

Responding the Prime Minister said that coverage would ‘soon reach 95% of the population', that they were in ‘discussions with the Scottish executive' and that ‘over time' they would solve the problems of getting broadband to the remaining areas.

Commenting after the exchange Danny Alexander said:

"The principle behind the government's broadband scheme is welcome, but there is a disturbing lack of substance beyond it.

"The Government's press release on the Next Generation Fund says 90% of Britain will benefit. Today the Prime Minister said 95%. The confusion shows how little attention is being paid to the needs of the Highlands and other parts of rural Britain. All that is clear is that a significant number of people in the Highlands will be charged to fund a broadband upgrade which will never reach them, even though the service they receive is already lagging far behind.

"Labour intends to start with urban centres and work outwards, leaving rural communities years of waiting to see where the money runs out. The Conservatives approach is even worse - they would ignore the evidence that the market will fail in the Highlands and do nothing at all.

"The economic impact of superfast broadband will be greatest in the Highlands - it offers the opportunity for many new businesses to be established in rural communities. I have been working with local stakeholders like the council and HIE to make sure there is a fully worked out plan for rolling out this new technology in our area, so that we can force our way to the front of the queue as and when the new fund is established. But we need much greater support from the government than Gordon Brown was willing to offer today.

"It's critical to the future of the Highland economy that upgrade for our region is timetabled urgently, initially targeting communities where it will make the biggest economic difference."

ENDS

Mr Alexander said:

"The prolonged spell of severely cold and snowy weather has been challenging for everybody, but if it had not been for the herculean efforts of the council staff involved in keeping local roads clear things would have been a great deal worse.

I know there are criticisms and concerns in specific locations, but I think it is also important to recognise the huge amount of hard work and planning involved. Many constituents have told me how much they appreciate the efforts of the staff, and I was pleased to be able to pass on their thanks personally on Friday.

"The volume of public inquiries and calls to report problems was clearly very helpful over the last few weeks, though in persistent heavy snow the first call has to be keeping priority routes clear. Obviously, there is a lot of work now to replenish salt stocks and to prepare for the threat of flooding as the snow thaws.

"Having also seen the way in which other parts of the country dealt with the heavy snow, I think there is much that others can learn from the response in the Highlands. We will also need to make sure any local lessons are learned and I know that will be happening."

Ends

With unemployment in the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey having risen steadily at the end of last year and latest available figures showing there being 27,000 benefit claims made in the constituency, these figures will be echoed locally.

Compensation payments are made when people have lost out due to official errors.

The figures revealed in answer to a parliamentary question answer show that in Scotland:

From 07/08 to 08/09 the number of payments made has risen from 386 payments to 538, a 39% rise.

The total amount paid out for these claims has risen from £59,100 to £174,900, a rise of 196%

This equates to an average payout of £325

Commenting Danny Alexander said:

"This failed government has created a benefit system so complicated that they can't even understand or manage it. It is no wonder that the recession and an incompetent Jobcentre closure policy have taken the system close to breaking point."

"A steep rise in number of payments and the tripling of the amount paid out shows that when Scottish people have most needed Jobcentre plus during the recession it has failed woefully to deliver.

"Unemployment in my constituency has risen for each of the last three months that we have figures for. The most recent statistics available for the total number of benefit claims stood at 27,000 and this is likely to have risen since.

"I've met many people in the Highlands who've suffered from the chaos that is our benefits system. They are being let down badly and the taxpayer is footing an unnecessary bill.

"We must simplify the benefit system so that people get the help they need when they need it."

ENDS

The new body will be responsible for enforcing the new Groceries Supply Code of Practice due to come into force next month. At the heart of its brief will be protecting small suppliers of agricultural produce from the aggressive behaviour of big supermarkets.

The move was first suggested by the Competition Commission almost 2 years ago, but 6 months ago the Commission called for the Government to take action after supermarkets failed to reach a deal to regulate themselves.

Commenting, Mr Alexander said:

"I hope this overdue announcement will be followed by swift action to get the new organisation up and running as quickly as possible.

"The Ombudsman needs to have significant powers both to investigate questionable practices by the supermarkets and to take strong action where it uncovers abuse of their retail power.

"It is disappointing, but not surprising, that the big supermarkets have resisted action for so long. In the meantime, the crisis facing agriculture in the Highlands and across the UK has only become more acute.

"I hope that – especially with the prospect of greater choice in the grocery sector on its way to Inverness and Nairn – all major supermarkets will see this as an opportunity to get local produce on to their shelves, and to offer local suppliers terms which they can fulfil while earning a fair living. That will see Highland consumers given the quality and breadth of choice which they have been waiting for."

ENDS

"The Minister is digging himself a deeper hole with every performance. It is a shame he has not come up with plans to do the same for the power line.

"On one hand, he has so far secured no tangible concessions at all for the Highland communities affected by this development, when he certainly had powers to deliver something.

"On the other, he says that selective undergrounding is still possible, but only if Scottish and Southern Energy do it of their own volition.

"Serious questions will be raised about whether the energy regulator would allow significant extra spending by the company when Ministers have failed to make it an absolute condition of consent.

"Given that voluntary undergrounding in sensitive areas is now the only hope, the Minister surely owes it to communities along the line's route to say clearly whether he supports that option or not. It appears he may largely have abdicated his ministerial power, but he can still use his considerable influence.

"I hope SSE will listen to what local communities have been saying to them for some years now, but the Government can scarcely claim to be surprised in these circumstances if it does not. No quantity of weasel words will compensate if the conditions which the Minister claims are ‘stringent' prove to be far from it."

ENDS

Compensation payments are made when people have lost out due to official errors.

The figures, revealed in answer to a Parliamentary Question, answer show that:

From 07/08 to 08/09 the number of payments made has risen from 386 payments to 538, a 39% rise

The total amount paid out for these claims has risen from £59,100 to £174,900, a rise of 196%

This equates to an average payout of £325.

Commenting, Danny Alexander said:

"This failed Government has created a benefit system so complicated that even they can't understand or manage it. It is no wonder that the recession and an incompetent Jobcentre closure policy have taken the system close to breaking point.

"A steep rise in the number of payments and the tripling of the amount paid out shows that Jobcentre Plus has failed to deliver when so many Scots need it most.

"People are being let down and the taxpayer is footing an unnecessary bill.

"We must simplify the benefit system so that people get the help they need when they need it."

ENDS

Speaking in the House of Commons today during Scottish questions, Mr Alexander asked Minister Ann McKechin "What discussions have been had with the Scottish Executive on steps to assist households in Scotland in severe fuel poverty which are not connected to the mains gas grid"

Responding Ann McKechin said that there had been no discussions with the Scottish Executive on this matter.

Following up Danny urged her to "rectify this and to take measures to move the large number of people in the Highlands struggling to heat their homes to the front of the queue for assistance with their energy bills."

The Secretary of State responded that they were taking measures to tackle fuel poverty but that in relation to off mains gas customers they believed there was ‘no market irregularity leading them to consider regulation at this point but that they will keep it under review'.

Commenting after the exchange Danny Alexander said:

"The response I got today was an appalling admission of this government's ignorance of a major problem facing rural Scotland.

"In the Highlands and throughout rural Scotland people in old, cold homes that don't have access to mains gas are at the back of the queue for help to pay their bills and improve their energy efficiency. This is at the same time as having to face temperatures considerably colder than the rest of the UK.

"It is simply astonishing that the Westminster government has had no discussions with Holyrood about this issue . To then claim there are no irregularities in the energy market that would prompt action, adds insult to injury.

"It is an established fact that I and many others have repeatedly made the government aware that off mains gas sources of energy are more expensive. This government's shameful one size fits all approach is causing real suffering in the Highlands."

ENDS