Local Cumbernauld and Kilsyth MSP Cathie Craigie has now written to the Minister for Communities to demand answers why the SNP Government's contract with Scottish Gas is not being upheld, leaving local workers 'in crisis'.

Scottish Gas holds the contract to deliver the Warm Deal programme, which provides elderly people across Scotland with free central heating systems and improvements to their existing system. As part of the contract, Scottish Gas must pay contractors within 30 days of satisfactory completion of the work. However, Powersave Insulation has been unable to purchase materials and pay wages for the last ten weeks, because Scottish Gas owes hundreds of thousands of pounds for work carried out.

Cathie Craigie MSP said:

"I am gravely concerned that 41 employees in Cumbernauld are being left in severe financial crisis because a Scottish Government contract isn't working.

"I have demanded the SNP give answers why Scottish Gas, when it is written into their contract to pay for work done within 30 days, is leaving my constituents in the lurch, without wages for two months."

"Given that the number of free central heating installations has plummeted during this Government, it is paramount that these workers get their wages, that the company gets back on track, and that elderly people locally are able to get the central heating they were promised."