Fires and Heaters - Welsh pensioners ''facing swingeing heating bills''

18/12/2007

Pensioners and less well-off families in North Wales are set to be slapped with some of the largest heating bills in the UK, a Liberal Democrat MP has claimed.

The swingeing bills are set to come as the cost of heating oils continues to soar, leaving those in homes not fitted to gas mains vulnerable.

Roger Williams, the Lib Dems' Welsh Parliamentary leader, said the developments necessitated urgent action from the government to connect more people to the gas main.

He told the Daily Post: "Rural North Wales is particularly hard hit because many communities are not linked up to the mains supplies.

"We would like the Government to work with gas companies on linking up more of North Wales. We know the odd farmhouse cannot be connected but more should be done for small communities."

Last winter saw 1,400 more deaths in Wales as a result of people struggling with the cold, Mr Williams added.

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