The Scottish Government has been accused of a lack of ambition after a drop in funding for fuel poverty.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie criticised Deputy First Minister John Swinney for committing £103.3 million to improve energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty in the draft budget for 2016/17 unveiled last month.

The amount is £15.7 million less than the £119 million total budget available in the current financial year.

During a meeting of Holyrood's Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, Mr Harvie questioned why "millions of pounds" are being spent on the Government's consultation on fracking while the energy efficiency budget is cut.

"There has got to be a question about priorities," he said.

"Why should we take seriously the commitment to make energy efficiency a national infrastructure priority when the budget is going down, not up?

"There is clearly no chance that the fuel poverty target for 2016, this year, is going to be met.

"Isn't that ample demonstration that, not just in the current financial year but over a number of years successive Scottish governments have not been ambitious enough on this agenda?"

Mr Swinney insisted the Government had shown a "strong, consistent level of support" for tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency.

About half a billion pounds had been spent over the course of the last few years, with 900,000 energy efficiency measures taken since 2008, he said.

Describing the budget as "static", Mr Swinney said £15 million of resources had been lost because of the termination of a UK Government energy efficiency programme that was being passed on in Scotland.

Rising fuel prices were another factor contributing to fuel poverty that the government has no control over, he added.

Mr Swinney said: "I don't accept the argument that Mr Harvie is making that there has been a lack of commitment.

"In a constrained financial climate the Government has preserved the resources that are available for energy efficiency.

"If fuel prices had risen in line with inflation, then the fuel poverty rate in Scotland would be 9.5% instead of 35%."

Mr Swinney added that the Government had to look at all the evidence on fracking.