THE subject of SSE's THTC (Total Heating Total Control) tariff was recently raised at Scottish Questions in the Commons by Alan Reid, MP for Argyll.

Consumers have at last been told that their system will not work properly if they switch to another supplier. The issue as to whether customer loyalty in the Hydro half of Scotland might be being abused by SSE will now be investigated by the Scottish Secretary of State, Alistair Carmichael.

I know from long experience that THTC has been increased by much more than the GB average at each of the last five price increases. Next week THTC prices will go up by 9.64% against the claimed GB average of 8.2% and Hydro area average of 8.7%. At least we now have these regional price increase averages, but the Hydro one is based on an Ofgem weighted basket of price elements which I strongly suspect is unrepresentative for this region.

Recent cost of living research by Loughborough University for Highlands and Islands Enterprise was debated at a rural housing conference last week. It shows that an income of 90% of average UK earnings is needed for a single person in a Highland town to reach even minimum living standards. This compares to 70% in the south of England. A major component of this is the extra costs of energy.

Many years ago, when electricity first came to the isle of Iona, we were told "Mr Tom Johnston saw, in the supply of light and power, an effective attack on the social and economic conditions that have contributed so much to the depopulation of the Highlands and Islands" and "Mr Walter Elliot said he would greatly deprecate any move to merge the [Hydro Electric] brand with a larger authority. Still more would he deprecate an attempt to merge it with some authority south of the Border."

We've had the merger. I sincerely trust that we will not begin to see depopulation because of the high energy prices.

R J Ardern,

26A Southside Road, Inverness.

ENERGY giant SSE reported profits of 1.41bn and a 28% rise in profits from UK households for the financial year to March 2013.

Customers will see an average 8.2% rise in gas and electricity prices from November 15, and yet the company has been given a £1m funding boost described as timely by Renewable UK's chief executive for its wind turbine testing plant at Hunterston ("SSE given £1m funding for wind turbine tests, The Herald, November 6).

I do not challenge the potential of offshore testing but this seems like "unto them that hath shall be given".

R Russell Smith,

96 Milton Road, Kilbirnie.