Alasdair Allan
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Like other members, I very much hope to see further and more comprehensive legislation soon. Meanwhile, as other members have mentioned, it is important not to lose sight of the reasons for and origin of crofting law.”
“I am pleased that my final speech in this session of Parliament is about such an important subject to my constituents as crofting. I, too, pay tribute to the contributions that have been made on the issue over the years by many members, not least by Rhoda Grant and Edward Mountain. This bill has been in the works for a long time.”
“However, the history that I have just recounted means that crofters are very aware that this traditional, culturally vital way of life requires legislation to sustain and protect it. The bill is a step forward in what must be a longer process of crofting law reform.”
“I was pleased to secure several amendments at stage 2, including to give ministers the power to regulate the transfer of owner-occupier crofts, to prevent a right-to-buy where a crofter is in breach of their duties, to explicitly include enforcement duties in the Crofting Commission’s responsibilities and to introduce a more practical and…”
“Depending on the voting intentions of my constituents, I look forward to working with the next Government on the additional legislation that will be required. In the meantime, the bill is an important step forward on the road to crofting legislation reform and I urge members to give it their support. 17:26”
“My amendment 6 would make it clear that that power includes the ability to make provisions on the transfer of associated grazing shares, should it be desirable to strengthen or modify the regime set out in sections 14A and 15. I move amendment 6.”
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“As other members have pointed out, Scotland has a long and proud history of innovation, and hydrogen is no exception to that. A strong evidence base is crucial to the development of the sector. We are, therefore, supporting a range of research initiatives to assist us in laying the groundwork to innovate and build on all of that. That work includes 31 projects that are funded via our hydrogen innovation scheme, such as the Clyde Hydrogen Systems novel decoupled electrolysis project, which is based at the University of Glasgow, as well as projects by Gravitricity, on geological storage, and by Intelligent Plant and Green Cat Renewables on the development of artificial intelligence-powered decision-making tools. In November 2024, we published the hydrogen sector export plan.”
“I cannot remember who made this point, but we are also keen to meet the demand for hydrogen derivatives such as ammonia. Last year, we welcomed the signing of a joint declaration of intent on hydrogen between the UK and Germany. That agreement opens the door for deeper collaboration with our key partners in Germany and other hydrogen markets. The first output of that agreement—a UK-German hydrogen trade feasibility study—was published only this week. The study includes research findings by the Net Zero Technology Centre’s hydrogen backbone link project, which is co- funded by the Scottish Government, to assess how Scotland could connect to the European hydrogen backbone and facilitate the export of hydrogen produced in Scotland.”
“While we listen to the Greens saying that hydrogen is not for transport and we have this debate, the Chinese have more than a million cars that are powered by hydrogen. Other countries are just doing it, so it is time that we caught up. Alasdair Allan: Scotland has a great capacity in this regard. Within the constraints of our devolved powers, the Scottish Government is working to forge relationships, overcome many of the barriers and ensure that we respond to the fact that, as other members have alluded to, the German Government expects to import between 50 and 70 per cent of its hydrogen demand by 2030, to name but one opportunity. As our relationships deepen, we are keen to work with our near northern neighbours— Denmark, Norway and Ireland—as an alliance of producing nations that can supply some of that demand.”
“We have been taking steps to work out a way forward—a reality—by forming international agreements, building relationships and collaborating on research. Scotland has very strong international relationships, most notably with the EU and individual member states such as Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. I have seen for myself the strong interest in Scotland’s hydrogen capacity that exists in those countries. As Maurice Golden and other members— Brian Whittle: The minister is talking about the international market. Does he recognise that, while we pontificate in this chamber and decide what we will or will not do with hydrogen, countries around the world are already doing it? There were $1.8 billion of exports from the United States— hydrogen is in the top 15 per cent of its exports.”
“Its initial focus is to improve consenting speed for hydrogen developments. The hub is working to identify the pipeline for hydrogen projects and to gain an understanding of the operational barriers to their delivery. Comprehensive planning and consenting guidance for the development of hydrogen production facilities will be published this year. By developing our domestic hydrogen sector, Scotland, in partnership with the UK Government and our European neighbours, can play a key role in meeting the growing global demand for low- carbon and renewable hydrogen technologies and the skills that will be required in the energy system of the future. As Audrey Nicoll, Kevin Stewart and others pointed out, the wider situation would be greatly assisted if the UK Government could come to the right decision on Acorn.”
“We have taken action to improve capacity and capability in our planning system to enable local planning authorities to respond to the growing number of hydrogen developments across Scotland. That point was picked up today by Sarah Boyack, Foysol Choudhury and others. We have sought to address that. In collaboration with the University of Strathclyde and the University of Aberdeen, we have developed a continuing personal development course that is entitled “An introduction to hydrogen for the public sector”. The course, which launched in July 2024, is targeted at local planning professionals. The modules that have been developed for the course are free to access via the Improvement Service website. A planning hub for Scotland was established in September 2024 and is hosted by the Improvement Service.”
“Patrick Harvie: Without rehashing the disagreement that we have had, I ask whether, if the UK Climate Change Committee presents the Scottish Government with the same advice that it has given to the UK Government, which is that hydrogen does not have a role for home heating and has a limited or niche role for transport, the Scottish Government will accept it. Alasdair Allan: I am not going to pre-empt any decisions by the Scottish Government, but I will say that the member is right to point out that the same advice applies in both cases. We want to support the scaling up of hydrogen projects, and we have taken steps to ensure that our planning and consenting regimes are responsive to the growing number of developments that are emerging across the country.”
“The Scottish Government has supported the SGN hydrogen for heating project, which seeks to help us to understand the potential role of hydrogen in this area. It is important that we do that, and that, as we do so, we are mindful of the fact that one of our asks of the UK Government is about the price of electricity. That stems from our recognition that, in many circumstances, the priority is the electrification of heating in houses around the country. I hope that there is not quite as much disagreement about some of those things as has sometimes been the case today.”
“As the United Kingdom’s energy future and economic prosperity are important to all of us, I think that, although we have heard differences of opinion this afternoon, there is common ground on some of the issues. There has been a surge in momentum on and enthusiasm for hydrogen. I have been able to see that in my role as chair of the Scottish hydrogen industry forum. The opportunities and technical challenges in hydrogen deployment are conveyed to me whenever I speak to companies that are active in the new sector. Before going on to anything else, I want to address the issue of hydrogen and domestic heat, as it came up a fair bit in our discussions today, and I listened carefully to what the Greens had to say. At this stage in the debate, it is important to introduce a bit of perspective.”
“The tone of today’s debate has been constructive. I think that it was Willie Rennie who urged us at one point to keep the tone of the debate cheery. We more or less achieved that, although I might disappoint Mr Rennie by telling him that, unfortunately, there are no salt caverns in Scotland, thanks to the geology that we have. Willie Rennie: Pessimist. Alasdair Allan: That is not pessimism; it is just data. However, Willie Rennie is right that there is a great deal to be positive about, and a great deal of room for consensus, in the debate about the hydrogen sector and how we need to help it to develop and grow. As we have heard throughout today’s debate from speakers such as the cabinet secretary, Patrick Harvie and many others, developing Scotland’s hydrogen sector presents huge opportunities for Scotland.”
“I move amendment S6M-17399.2, to leave out from “be a leading” to end and insert: “play a leading role in developing a green hydrogen industry, both to help decarbonise challenging sectors of the economy, and for export; recognises that hydrogen produced from fossil fuels not only produces greenhouse gas emissions but also risks undermining confidence in the future of the green hydrogen sector; further recognises that the use of green hydrogen needs to be prioritised in areas that are hard to decarbonise in other ways, and that its use for domestic heating can never achieve the efficiency of other clean heat sources, and therefore regrets that the First Minister described hydrogen for domestic heating as ‘the path that we must take’, in February 2025; recognises that the UK Climate Change Committee sees ‘no role for hydrogen in buildings heating and only a very niche, if any, role in surface transport’, and urges the Scottish Government to accept that the value of green hydrogen will be in areas such as hard-to-decarbonise industrial sectors and energy storage.” 15:38”
“However, we see no role for hydrogen in buildings heating and only a very niche, if any, role in surface transport.” I urge the Scottish Government to listen to the UK CCC, which is its own adviser and source of expert advice on climate action, to understand and accept its position, and ensure that our approach to the development of hydrogen focuses on the most efficient use of what could be an important part of our energy system and economy.”
“Does the member acknowledge that, notwithstanding everything that he has said about the benefits and preferability of electrification, there may be parts of the country where electrification may be difficult to achieve and, therefore, other solutions such as hydrogen should at least be experimented with? Patrick Harvie: I will address that in my closing comments. In presenting its advice on the seventh carbon budget to the UK Government, the UK Climate Change Committee wrote that hydrogen has “an important role within the electricity supply sector as a ... long-term storable energy that can be dispatched when needed and as a feedstock for synthetic fuels.”
“Through the investment that we are making, we can reduce poor energy efficiency, which is a driver of the fuel poverty that Ms Whitham described. Our schemes provide additional funding for households in rural areas in recognition of the additional and higher costs that they face. Last year, we amended planning rights to allow solar panels to be installed in properties in conservation areas without the need for a planning application, subject to specific restrictions.”
“Elena Whitham: The minister will be aware that large rural areas of Scotland, such as my constituency, have unique challenges that can make decarbonisation financially prohibitive for many home owners, be that due to the age and fabric of their home or their home being positioned in a conservation area where options such as solar panels are not allowed. Does the minister agree that citizens who live in such homes must be supported to find a balance between reaching net zero and reducing fuel poverty? Can the Scottish Government assist them in that? Alasdair Allan: The balance that Ms Whitham mentions is crucial. Balancing the delivery of our net zero objectives with tackling fuel poverty is important, and there are significant opportunities to address those aims in tandem.”
“We have committed to investing more than £300 million in our heat in buildings programme in 2025-26. That funding will be spent on reducing emissions from heating and improving energy efficiency in homes and other buildings across Scotland, as well as on developing heat networks. We will continue our successful warmer homes Scotland and area-based schemes, which are aimed at people in fuel poverty, as well as our generous Home Energy Scotland advice, grants, loans and funding for social homes. Householders who want to take action should contact Home Energy Scotland, which can help those who are interested to navigate the available support.”
“Siobhian Brown explained the complexity of the systems that interact to ensure that there is balanced decision making and that people’s rights are upheld. Monica Lennon: Does the minister recognise that referring to communities as the “third party” in decision making is really at the root of the problem? The campaign for equal rights of appeal is about treating communities as equal partners. Does the minister recognise why I say that?”
“However, we do not accept that, as was perhaps suggested at points in today’s debate, people should be able to judicially challenge decisions on an issue simply because they did not like the outcome—or, to put it more formally, because they wanted to enter into issues of merit. Parliament has repeatedly considered third-party appeal for planning decisions and decided against introducing that change. I accept that, in all of this, there is a difficult balance to be struck. There is an intuitive appeal to the idea that people should be able to challenge decisions that they do not like and that the costs to them of doing that should be low. However, those costs would be shouldered elsewhere through the costs of courts and lawyers, delays to development and uncertainty about investment.”
“There is, however, scope to look at a different funding model that is about pursuing strategic litigation and is about the issue rather than the individual. The legal aid reform discussion paper commits the Scottish Government to exploring and testing “how the full range of currently available funding tools can help achieve emerging government and justice priorities, support different methods of delivery, and tackle evidenced problems effectively.” It is important that, where the Scottish Government or another public authority fails to follow appropriate law and procedures, its decisions can be challenged in a judicial review.”
“Monica Lennon: It was good to hear the First Minister speaking today about the importance of the rule of law. Does the minister agree that access to justice is the ultimate guarantee of the rule of law and that, rather than just progress on the Aarhus convention, we need full compliance? Alasdair Allan: I do not dispute the need for compliance, although the member will understand that compliance without progress would be difficult, which is why we are making progress. I will pick up on a number of other points that were made by other speakers, including some points about legal aid, which, as members have identified, is available for individuals but not for groups or NGOs. Regulation 15 of the Civil Legal Aid (Scotland) Regulations 2002 is a necessary control mechanism for the proper and consistent use of the legal aid fund.”
“As was said earlier, action has been taken on protective expenses orders and a rule change has been enacted prompting a petitioner to request confidentiality when lodging a motion requesting a PEO, so that any hearing would be heard in chambers. That is progress, as is a rule change enacted in June last year that clarifies that a potential litigant’s exposure to an intervener’s costs is likely to be nil, provided that the litigant acts reasonably. I accept that there is much more to do, but I will pick up on more areas of progress. A number of speakers referred to the specific point about reform of the system as it applies to sheriff courts. It is for the next court fees consultation, which is due to take place in the coming year, to look at that issue, but the Government certainly hopes that there will be progress.”
“The Aarhus convention includes a wide range of obligations regarding environmental information, consultation and access to justice. We are currently working to address concerns raised by the compliance committee regarding one area that I accept is important: the cost of seeking judicial review of a decision. That is not a challenge to our overall approach to environmental information approvals or permitting, so I do not accept that the Scottish Government has, as some speakers suggested, been ignoring the convention. There is clearly much that the Scottish Government can do and is doing to make progress on the outstanding issues.”
“I thank colleagues from across the chamber for their valuable contributions to today’s debate on the Aarhus convention and the important matter of environmental justice. As Mr Golden and many others have pointed out, access to justice in environmental matters is vital for both urban and rural communities. As members will appreciate, access to justice does not, and cannot, mean that all parties will always achieve the outcomes that they desire from every decision, but we should, as the Government does, seek to ensure that the rules are fair. Siobhian Brown set out with great clarity the position in respect to compliance with the Aarhus convention, and it is important that we keep that issue in perspective, as she and many other speakers did.”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: The minister will now take questions on the issues raised in his statement. I intend to allow around 20 minutes for that, after which we will need to move on to the next item of business. I would be grateful if members who wish to ask a question could press their request-to-speak buttons if they have not already done so.”
“The framework of targets and regulation that I have described can provide certainty to building owners and confidence for investors and supply chains. We will, of course, continue to provide advice and financial support to those who need it most. We are investing a further £300 million in our heat in buildings programmes this year, including support to more than 20,000 Scottish households to save up to £500 a year on their energy bills. Therefore, I ask members to work with me when we introduce our heat in buildings bill to Parliament and to support our calls for the UK Government to take similar action. The actions that I have described can cut carbon and help to reduce fuel poverty at source. They are essential to achieving the goal of net zero, for which the Parliament voted.”
“The UK Government could take several vital actions that would accelerate buildings decarbonisation and support the legislation that I propose. That is why I hope that members will join me in calling for the UK Government urgently to clarify its intentions on phasing out gas boilers in existing homes and the future role of the gas grid in heating our buildings, on rebalancing policy costs from electricity to gas bills to incentivise the installation of clean heating in a way that alleviates fuel poverty and on reform of the Great Britain energy markets to support a reduction in the cost of electricity more generally. Without those and other changes, we are severely hampered as we attempt to deliver this societal and economic transformation. I began by reflecting on the scale of the challenge that faces us.”
“The bill will affect everyone, but it will differ markedly from earlier iterations in that it will not be a prohibition but a target and rather than placing all the onus on individual action it will emphasise a collective response. The opportunities that it will present for Scotland are significant. The proposed legislation will build on the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 that the Parliament came together to pass, so I am confident that we share its overall intent. Following its introduction, I will work with members from all parties on the points of detail that underpin it to ensure that it works for consumers, home owners, businesses and rural and island communities. Progress towards decarbonisation in housing depends on action in reserved areas from the UK Government, too.”
“In the meantime, to improve the standard of rental properties and to help to reduce fuel poverty, we will make regulations under existing powers to introduce a minimum energy-efficiency standard in the private rented sector. Those regulations would mean all privately rented properties, as far as possible, reaching the equivalent of EPC rating C. That would improve those homes, reduce energy costs for tenants and support the transition to clean heating. My officials are working to prepare the bill for introduction in year 5 of this session of the Parliament. It will accompany our related work on a social housing net zero standard and EPC reform under existing powers.”
“Those powers will help to make more heat network projects investible, which will lead to greater choice for households and businesses in how they reach net zero. My intention is that our bill will enable and support flexibility. It will be technology neutral. Different properties and people will require different solutions; for example, the clean heating solutions in some remote and rural areas may vary from those in urban areas. Reaching our target is likely to need a range of technologies, including bioenergy. Our bill will also include powers to set minimum energy efficiency standards for owner-occupier and non-domestic properties, as part of a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by heating systems.”
“It will send a strong signal to homeowners, landlords and other building owners about the need to prepare for change, while outlining collective actions to help do that, and that will give the supply chain confidence to invest. The bill will underpin our existing work to progress to net zero through the range of support measures and interventions that are already available to households seeking to transition their homes to non-polluting heating systems. The most obvious way that the bill will do that is by boosting heat network development, by creating particular requirements for large, non- domestic premises and including powers to require public sector buildings to connect to district heating when it is available. We will, of course, work with those building owners to ensure that appropriate safeguards are developed.”
“All those factors merit important changes in our approach—changes that demonstrate that we are listening and responding to the important concerns that people have raised. Our approach moves away from penalising individuals, and instead commits to collective action. Instead of placing prohibitions on every homeowner, we will establish targets for Government to reach. Rather than looking at action through the lens of decarbonising alone, we will also commit to doing everything within our power to reduce costs for people. I am confirming today that we will introduce a heat in buildings bill, in this parliamentary session, that will create a target for decarbonising heating systems by 2045.”
“Parliament is more than aware that many households, families and businesses across the United Kingdom are facing difficult circumstances. Despite promises from the new UK Government that energy bills would be lowered by £300 a year, since October last year they have risen by almost £300. A unit of electricity presently costs around four times more than a unit of gas, and up-front costs for installing clean heating systems remain higher than those for fossil fuel systems. A combination of all those factors, combined with a severe cost of living crisis, makes it simply unaffordable for many building owners to make great changes in the near future. I believe that those challenges could be particularly pronounced for those in rural and island locations, whose needs and circumstances we must continue to consider carefully.”
“Many people supported the need for legislation requiring energy efficiency standards and prohibiting certain types of heating in buildings; others questioned that need. Having carefully considered those views and having listened to a range of stakeholders since the consultation concluded, I am today charting a new course that is, I believe, consistent with our goal of removing emissions from buildings by 2045. Our plan to deliver a revised bill responds to the legitimate reservations and concerns that have been raised since our consultation was completed, including the risks of exacerbating fuel poverty and of burdening every individual householder with an overly onerous responsibility as we decarbonise.”
“The way that we heat our buildings accounts for around 19 per cent of our country’s total emissions. Scotland depends greatly on gas and other fossil fuels for heat. Nearly 90 per cent of our homes use those fuels. In Europe, only the Netherlands has a similarly high dependence on gas as we do. Meanwhile, for communities that are off the gas grid, fuel poverty is even more prevalent—a subject that I will come to in a moment. I raise all that to underline just how significant an impact decarbonising our buildings will have. That is why the heat in buildings bill is so important. As members know, we consulted on a range of proposals, and that consultation closed last year. It received more than 1,600 responses, and I thank everyone who engaged in that process. We received a diverse range of views.”
“Our target for 6,000 public charge points was met two years ahead of schedule, and more than 2 million children, young people, disabled people and older people are now benefiting from free bus travel, making sustainable travel more accessible for everyone in Scotland. We have created almost 75 per cent of the United Kingdom’s new woodland since 2019, and an estimated 56 per cent of homes are now rated energy performance certificate band C or better, which is an increase of 11 percentage points since 2019. Those are just a few of the many examples of tangible progress and Scottish Government actions that have taken us halfway to net zero. However, we all need to do more. We need to see climate action in all areas, by individuals, households and businesses, and by all parts of Government.”
“I am pleased to update Parliament on the next steps that the Scottish Government will be taking regarding a heat in buildings bill. In 2019, the Parliament agreed that Scotland will end its contribution to global emissions as soon as possible and by no later than 2045. Our commitment to that ambition is unwavering. As outlined to Parliament on Tuesday, the Government is also committed to reducing fuel poverty through the limited devolved powers that we hold. It is vital that we find the right balance to both reach net zero by 2045 and reduce fuel poverty. We have already achieved a great deal when it comes to our transition to net zero. In 2023, 91.2 per cent of electricity generated in Scotland was from zero or low-carbon sources. Specifically, 70.3 per cent of electricity generated was from renewable sources.”
“That is why we have consistently called on the UK Government to approach decisions about North Sea oil and gas projects on a rigorously evidence-led, case-by-case basis, with climate compatibility and energy security as key considerations. Childcare (Costs) 6.”
“Alasdair Allan: Douglas Lumsden will be aware that the decision will ultimately be made by the UK Government, but we are clear on our support for a just transition for Scotland’s oil and gas sector that recognises the maturity of the North Sea basin and is in line with our climate change commitments. Offshore oil and gas licensing, as well as the consenting and associated fiscal regime and all the things that go with it— Douglas Lumsden: You have a presumption against oil and gas. Alasdair Allan: I do not know why Douglas Lumsden is shouting at me, because, as I was saying, all those matters are currently reserved to the UK Government. Any further extraction and use of fossil fuels must be consistent with our climate obligations and just transition commitments. It is vital that we take an evidence-based approach to the energy transition.”
“Last week, Offshore Energies UK said that another 7 billion barrels of oil could be extracted from the North Sea and that half of the oil and gas that the UK needs before 2050 could be produced domestically. In an increasingly unstable world, does the minister recognise that it is common sense to make use of our domestic supply of oil and gas rather than import it from abroad? Does he also recognise the damage that is being caused by the Scottish National Party’s presumption against new oil and gas developments? Will he ditch it today and finally confirm when his party’s long-overdue energy strategy will be published?”
“The judgments and issues in the energy strategy and just transition plan are informed and influenced by a range of recent developments in the United Kingdom Government’s energy policy and, indeed, by court decisions. Therefore, there remains a rapidly changing landscape—for example, the UK Government’s consultation on future oil and gas policy will be open for stakeholder input over the coming months. We are taking time to reflect on those on-going developments before drawing any conclusions and publishing any final strategy. Douglas Lumsden: This is becoming a joke. I have asked about the energy strategy 16 times in the past year, because businesses want to know whether investment will be welcomed here.”
“Like other members across the chamber, I am all too aware of the human consequences of fuel poverty and rapidly rising energy bills. Despite the formidable factors outwith our control that I have mentioned and the sometimes counterproductive policies that have originated elsewhere, the Scottish Government is committed to countering, mitigating when possible and, ultimately, tackling fuel poverty, which affects the lives of so many families across our country. The Presiding Officer: The minister will now take questions on the issues that were raised in his statement. I intend to allow about 20 minutes for questions, after which we will move on to the next item of business.”
“In addition, I have set out a clear set of asks of the UK Government as it undertakes a review of its fuel poverty strategy and targets. I am committed to working closely together on delivering that crucial policy, alongside wider fundamental UK Government policy actions, as a matter of urgency. The fuel poverty progress report that we have laid in the Parliament today only reinforces the point that, although considerable strides have been made, the fuel poverty rate in Scotland being at 34 per cent is largely due to inaction to date from the UK Government on the fundamental issue that affects everyone: fuel prices. We will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders across Scotland, including the Scottish fuel poverty advisory panel, and we will duly consider the recommendations in its report when it is published.”
“Making changes requires the use of fundamental policy and fiscal levers—which only the UK Government can use and which the previous UK Government continually failed to use—to protect household energy bills and address the legacy of soaring levels of energy debt. Over the past six months, the Scottish Government has been working closely with the energy industry and consumer organisations. That work has involved co-designing a deliverable social tariff scheme that would rise to the challenge and actually make a difference. I am pleased to update members that the social tariff working group’s final report has now been shared with the UK Government. The group’s outputs demonstrate to the UK Government the strength of cross-sector commitment to delivering a targeted bill support scheme.”
“More than £65 million is being provided across our three winter heating benefits this year, which will provide vital support with heating costs to more than 630,000 people. Crucially and relevantly, we will introduce a universal pension- age winter heating payment of £100 for every Scottish pensioner household that is not in receipt of relevant benefits, with those in receipt of a relevant low-income benefit receiving £200 or £300 depending on their age. We know that tackling fuel poverty requires a long-term, sustained effort and a whole-sector approach with suppliers, consumers, the regulator and, most importantly in this context, the UK Government.”
“That is together with our collective policies in support of raising household incomes, with more than £3 billion to tackle poverty and the cost of living crisis for households this year. The package spans a range of support for energy bills, childcare, health and travel, and social security payments, such as the Scottish child payment, that is either not available anywhere else in the UK or is more generous here. Despite those challenges, we are committed to tackling fuel poverty. We want to build on the success of the warmer homes Scotland scheme and the area-based schemes delivery programmes. That is why, this year, we are investing £300 million in improving the energy efficiency of our housing stock. In total, 56 per cent of all households now have an energy performance certificate rating of C or above.”
“In other words, if fuel prices had not gone up since 2019, the efforts that we are making in Scotland would have led to a decrease of 15 percentage points—around 389,000 households— from the current fuel poverty rate of 34 per cent, which is 861,000 households. To put it even more simply, fuel poverty would now be going down were it not for the rise in fuel prices. However, the average weighted index price of fuel in Scotland almost doubled between 2019 and 2023—it increased by 96 per cent—which is why we invested more than £63 million in short-term crisis support through the fuel insecurity fund, to help with household energy bills. We continue to provide on-going support through the Scottish welfare fund and have committed to the further delivery of our islands cost crisis emergency fund in order to support our island communities.”
“Together with that, an enduring cost of living crisis has led to a sharp rise in our energy bills, alongside the cost of other essentials, which has impacted all households across the country and worsened the poverty premium that is faced by those on the lowest incomes, who are at the sharpest end of price rises. Our published scenario modelling reinforces the impact of high energy prices on fuel poverty rates in Scotland. To emphasise that point, the modelling shows that, under a scenario in which 2023 fuel prices remained at 2019 levels, the fuel poverty rate would now, with all other factors being equal, be around 19 per cent, which is 472,000 households.”
“First, the volatile nature of energy price increases has outweighed gains in energy efficiency and household incomes, which has led to increased rates of fuel poverty and extreme fuel poverty. Secondly, it is only the UK Government that can and must act to use the fundamental policy and fiscal levers at its disposal, especially in relation to fuel prices, in order to help to eradicate fuel poverty in Scotland. The global events that we have witnessed in the past three years, which continue to unfold, have had a substantially negative impact on the progress that was being made in tackling fuel poverty.”
“Nothing could be a starker illustration of the necessity that drives the Scottish Government’s action in this area or of how policies that are driven from outwith Scotland sometimes run counter to what we seek to achieve in this Parliament. I know that the implications of that are being felt keenly by consumers across Scotland. All that said, the fuel poverty statutory periodic report sets out the real and important progress that has been delivered within the limitations of our devolved powers, such as the actions that we have taken to raise household incomes, reshape our social security system and provide financial support through our heat in buildings schemes. The report crucially highlights two important points as to why the fuel poverty rates have increased since the fuel poverty strategy was published, in December 2021.”
“Today is a key milestone, as we publish our first three-year fuel poverty periodic report, in line with the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019, setting out the progress and steps that we are making in Scotland, with the limited powers at our disposal, in tackling fuel poverty. This statement is timely, because Ofgem’s latest energy price cap rise comes into effect at a United Kingdom level today. The price cap rise marks the third increase in a row, and it means that energy bills will be 9.4 per cent—or £159—higher than they were this time last year, despite the new UK Labour Government having promised that it would bring energy bills down by £300.”