The acting net zero secretary, Gillian Martin, has announced that the aspect of the bill has been reformed as it would originally “make people poorer”
The Scottish Heat in Buildings bill sets out the country’s targets for decarbonisation, but no longer has a legal requirement for homeowners and businesses.
The original proposal was that heating systems must be replaced by low-carbon systems, such as heat pumps, by 2045.
Heat accounts for over half of the country’s carbon emissions
The original proposal came when the Scottish Greens were in government, and had a stronger need for property owners to move to low-carbon heating solutions.
However, the current government has recognises that this may be difficult for many, with the acting climate action minister, Alasdair Allan, saying that upfront costs for “clean heating systems remain higher than those for fossil fuel systems.”
He further stated that removing the legal requirement “moves away from penalising individuals and instead commits to collective action.”
There has been some criticism levelled at the move, with Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, saying that the legislation is being “gutted” and the government is “watering down” the bill by “stripping away almost all of its serious policy measures.” He followed this by saying “If there is one thing that we have learned about climate policy in recent years, it is that setting targets without decisive action to meet them is meaningless.”
SNIPEF support the move in the Scottish Heat in Buildings bill, but feel more can be done
SNIPEF have released a statement saying that the removal of legal requirements from the Scottish Heat in Buildings bill is a wise move, but the lack of clarity on delivering decarbonisation work is severely lacking, and they call on the government to create measures that provide:
- Dedicated and accessible funding for SMEs to support upskilling and investment in low-carbon technologies
- Increased investment in apprenticeships and vocational education to grow a future-ready workforce
- Clear, stable policy direction that enables businesses to plan and invest with confidence.
Fiona Hodgson, chief executive of SNIPEF, said: “We support the Government’s intention to move away from immediate restrictions on homeowners and instead focus on national targets. That change of tone is constructive and gives the plumbing and heating profession a clearer signal on the direction of travel.
“But today’s announcement is silent on how the work will actually get done. There is no reference to skills, vocational training or business support; yet these are the foundations on which success depends. Without them, we risk setting targets that are simply undeliverable.
“Around 80% of our members still work in the traditional heating market. They are willing to play a key role in Scotland’s transition, but they can’t do that without practical support. Skills, training and SME capacity must be at the heart of the next stage.
“Apprenticeship funding has remained stagnant for over eight years, placing additional financial strain on small businesses already managing rising employer National Insurance contributions, increased minimum wage rates and growing operational costs.
“These pressures are real, and without targeted intervention, they risk choking off the very workforce we need to deliver change.”
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