The Lagan Valley MLA stated: “My meeting with Margaret Ritchie was very positive. We discussed my proposals and the possibility of implementing such a scheme.
“I believe Margaret Ritchie is very sympathetic to the needs of older people and others affected by the rise in fuel prices, but if she has proposals to bring forward they have to pass the Executive first.
“This is another example of essential work being frustrated by our so-called leaders playing politics at the expense of the people who put them where they are today.
“I believe that more can still be done to provide for those in greatest need and I will be examining how to set up this fuel poverty fund myself.
“We have a stalemate at Stormont, so we need to look at fresh ideas for tackling fuel poverty because the Executive aren’t producing any. I want to call on the DUP and Sinn Fein to set aside their political differences and deal specifically with this most urgent business before the worst of the winter is upon us.”
ENDS