Wendy Chamberlain MP responds to RTS switch-off update
Wendy Chamberlain, MP for North East Fife, has responded to the UK Government’s announcement of a more controlled start of the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) phase out from 30th June, instead of the previously planned hard deadline.
The UK Government has now stated that “people with an RTS meter will not face any unexpected disruption to their heating or hot water at the end of the month”.
The government has also stated that it will continue to meet with Ofgem and Energy UK on a fortnightly basis to review how the gradual and targeted phase out is progressing, with a particular focus on Scotland (where over 100,000 RTS meters remain) as well as remote and rural areas, to ensure all efforts are made to reach these households.
Chamberlain also attended a roundtable this morning [19th June] with the Minister for Energy Consumers, MPs, Ofgem and Energy UK following confirmation that the 30th June deadline for the switch-off has been postponed and that a phased switch-off will follow, and was intended to give further detail on this.
It was confirmed during the meeting that MPs and MSPs would be contacted with details of the shutdown in their area including exact dates and planned actions by suppliers for replacements, but it is not clear when this will be. London is expected to be the first area to be fully shut down, with Scotland being among the last.
Wendy's response to the change was as follows:
“The hard deadline has been a real cause of stress for many of my constituents, so I am glad that the government have changed course, but I’m disappointed that this has only happened 12 days before the deadline.
“All of this could have been avoided if energy companies had been far more proactive about replacing RTS meters from the beginning, and I was disappointed that there were no apologies forthcoming at the roundtable today.
“Despite knowing about the looming deadline for years, and after the postponement of an earlier deadline, they only started to act at the eleventh hour.
“Although this announcement buys more time, the focus must be on switching households away from RTS meters as fast as possible.”