With the energy price cap hike of 10% pushing prices up from Tuesday, the need for action to support the most vulnerable households in this area becomes more urgent.

 Of course, while official figures show that a household on a dual tariff – gas and electricity – will see a rise from £1568 to £1,717, we know that folk with no access to mains gas face bills of a much higher magnitude.

This comes despite Labour’s pre-election promise that they would bring down energy prices. Alongside the price cap hike, some 860,000 Scottish pensioners will lose out on the winter fuel payment after Labour, at its party conference, voted against reversing its decision to means-test it.

Westminster’s decisions will disproportionately affect folk in rural Scotland, particularly places like Orkney and other off-gas areas of the Highlands and Islands, where winters can be much colder.

For that reason, I was keen to learn from John Swinney, during First Minister’s Questions last week, what discussions the Scottish Government is having with energy companies regarding a possible social tariff to reduce bills for low-income households.

I was pleased to learn that a working group is being established to look at the design of a social tariff that would gain broad support and be able to demonstrate viability and the benefits of such a tariff to the UK Labour Government. Labour will have the final say, as any social tariff would have to be instigated by Westminster, with energy pricing being a reserved matter over which Scotland has no control.

I was pleased that John Swinney recognised the hardship of the decisions made by the UK Labour Government to end the universal winter fuel payment would have a particularly acute effect in the Highlands and Islands.

He also highlighted how the issue of the winter fuel payment cut was essentially landed on the Scottish Government with no consultation from the UK Labour Government, along with a budget cut of £160 million.

As we reflect on 25 years of devolution, celebrated at Holyrood last weekend, these Westminster decisions are worth looking at.

Particularly since 2007, people in Scotland have benefited from the SNP Government’s forward-looking social policies in the face of Westminster cuts and Brexit.

Over 17 years in government, the SNP has delivered free university tuition, abolished prescription charges, delivered the ‘game-changing’ Scottish Child Payment, the Baby Box and kept our precious Scottish NHS in public hands.

As a result of decisions being made in Scotland by those the people of Scotland elect, not by Westminster, Scottish education provision is better, the Scottish NHS has more protection, crime is lower, and Scotland’s tax system is more progressive.

If the Scottish Parliament had the full powers of a normal independent country, we could build on the actions the Scottish Parliament is already taking and further improve everyday life for all who live and work in Scotland – instead of being held by back the disastrous decisions of Westminster governments, such as the winter fuel payment cut.

This is a regular column by SNP MSP Emma Roddick. All Highlands and Islands Regional MSPs have been offered the same space in The Orkney News to share their personal views.