- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that low-carbon heating systems and energy efficiency measures offered by companies meet appropriate standards for quality.
Answer
For low carbon heating, such as heat pumps, the requirement is to use Microgeneration Certification Scheme installers to access Scottish Government funded support programmes. In relation to energy efficiency measures such as insulation, to access Scottish Government funding installers should be TrustMark registered businesses. Customers accessing the HES Grant and Loan scheme who cannot locate a TrustMark registered installer may use a Green Deal certified installer.
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to carry out an assessment of workforce capability to support all aspects of installation and maintenance of low-carbon heat and energy efficiency measures.
Answer
Our Heat in Buildings Supply Chains Delivery Plan sets out practical steps that we will take to support the growth of the green heat sector. We continue to work in partnership with the sector to ensure that the appropriate support and training provision are aligned at a local level with business needs and future local demands.
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what economic assessment it has undertaken regarding its proposal for private landlords to meet a minimum energy efficiency standard by 2028 and any potential impact on the availability of private rental homes.
Answer
This proposal is contained within the current public consultation Delivering net zero for Scotland's buildings - Heat in Buildings Bill: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . A draft business and regulatory impact assessment has been published to support this consultation Heat in Buildings Bill consultation: business and regulatory impact assessment (partial) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
This draft impact assessment and a range of other relevant impact assessments will be developed and then finalised based on the outcome of the consultation. Further development of proposals will then occur and will be the subject of detailed final impact assessments.
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to gathering data on double glazing and draught-proofing measures fitted in Scotland's buildings.
Answer
The Scottish Government collects data on double glazing and draught proofing of loft hatches within occupied homes through the annual Scottish House Condition Survey.
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider publishing the research, Scottish Supply Chain Opportunities in the Low Carbon Heat Sector, which was carried out by Delta-EE for Scottish Enterprise in 2020.
Answer
The report was commissioned by Scottish Enterprise as internal analysis to inform policy development. As such, this will not be published externally.
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing compensation to heat pump installer companies to cover lost income while staff participate in training programmes.
Answer
Our Heat in Buildings Supply Chains Delivery Plan sets out practical steps that we will take to support the growth of the green heat sector. We continue to work in partnership with the sector to ensure that the appropriate support and training provision are aligned at a local level with business needs and future local demands.
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a list of public procurement projects within the low-carbon heating and energy efficiency sectors that it anticipates undertaking in the next (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years.
Answer
The information requested is not available. The Scottish Government does not currently plan to directly procure any specific low-carbon heating or energy efficiency projects on behalf of the sector over the time periods specified. Scottish public authorities can access funding and project development support for clean heating and energy efficiency proposals through our Non-Domestic Public Sector Energy Efficiency Framework and Project Support Unit. This framework is designed to provide value for money and a standardised approach for public bodies undertaking improvements to their estate.
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its consultation on the proposed Heat in Buildings Bill, whether it will provide any examples of lenders offering time-limited interest-free loans to cover the capital costs of energy efficiency measures and the installation of clean heat systems.
Answer
This is covered in the Green Heat Taskforce Part 1 Report published on 22 November 2023 – in this report Nationwide is highlighted as an example of a lender currently offering zero percent interest loans.
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to developing specific training within colleges and universities to develop skills in the delivery of heat networks.
Answer
Colleges and universities are responsible for setting their own provision based on regional and national demand, however Energy Skills Partnership, the college sector agency in Scotland for energy transition, zero carbon transport, engineering, construction and STEM, lead a low carbon heat training network across Scotland’s colleges to share best practice.
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what economic assessment it has undertaken regarding any impact of its proposal to prohibit the use of polluting heating systems in new buildings from 2024 on the affordability of new build homes within the (a) rural and (b) urban housing market.
Answer
A Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment was completed for the provisions contained within The Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 (which introduce the New Build Heat Standard from 1 April 2024). This contains an assessment of how the Standard may impact costs associated with new homes across Scotland. The affordability of buying a home is impacted by multiple factors, including the sale price of a new building (which is determined by individual developers and takes into account a range of variables related to building construction costs and local housing markets), location and access to personal finance for buyers.