Excess Winter Deaths

EDM number 804 in 2013-14, proposed by George Galloway on 26/11/2013.
Categorised under the topics of Death, Elderly people and Fuel poverty.

That this House is ashamed and appalled by the massive increase in excess winter deaths last winter in England and Wales as detailed by the Office of National Statistics; notes that an estimated additional 31,100 people died, up 29 per cent over the previous year, most of these the frail and elderly; believes that these sad and unnecessary deaths were largely caused by cold and lack of heating, a consequence of this Government's austerity programme and the lack of regulation of the rapacious energy companies; contrasts this massive surge in fatalities with the ballooning profits of the big six energy companies, up 77 per cent in one year; and demands an emergency national insulation programme, a boost to the state pension, a nationally co-ordinated programme through local authorities to identify those most vulnerable to the cold, the immediate freezing of energy prices and a programme to bring energy supply into public ownership so that this avoidable tragedy is not repeated this winter and in the following years.

This motion has been signed by a total of 16 MPs.