3. To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the delivery of its heat in buildings strategy, including decarbonising homes and workplaces. (S6O-01694)

We published a report in October setting out our progress against the heat in buildings strategy. Since publication of the strategy, we have published our heat networks delivery plan and legislation requiring all local authorities to produce a local heat and energy efficiency strategy in 2023. We have also introduced a grant to replace the cashback element of Home Energy Scotland loans for homeowners.

We intend in 2023 to publish a consultation on our proposals for a heat in buildings bill and to launch our public engagement strategy, to raise awareness and support among the public for this vital transition.

The latest report from the United Kingdom Climate Change Committee issued a stark warning about the Scottish Government’s plans to deliver low-carbon heating sources and improve the energy efficiency of buildings, calling them “wholly inadequate”. That criticism comes at a time when we also learn that the Scottish Government has cut £45 million from the heat in buildings capital grant scheme.

Given that the cost of what is in the Scottish Government’s heat and buildings strategy is estimated to be in the region of £33 billion, what impact does the minister think those cuts will have on the delivery of sustainable homes, and will that be reversed in today’s budget?

We continue to invest substantially in the energy interventions that we are making, including everything under the heat in buildings agenda.

In the climate change plan update that was published in 2020, it was acknowledged, including by the Government, that we have to go further and faster as we develop the new climate change plan; it is currently under development. In fact, the welcome acknowledgement in the Climate Change Committee’s report demonstrates the need for us to bring to that area the added ambition that we are bringing.

I refer Roz McCall to comments by the British Energy Efficiency Federation, which said in response to our work:

“My advice to Whitehall is simple. Whether you take the high road or you take the low road, you had best be copying Scotland’s initiatives.”

I have previously raised with the minister the option of modifying rule 3 of the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 to the effect that factors and people living in multi-owner properties—which describes 95 per cent of the housing in my Glasgow Kelvin constituency—be empowered to introduce, with the agreement of a simple majority of tenants, energy saving measures such as electric vehicle charging points, solar panels or anything else that is proven to have an impact on CO₂ emissions. That simple modification would produce immediate economic and environmental benefits, and there are no obvious downsides to there being no further delay. Would the minister give serious consideration to making that very simple modification, as a matter of urgency?

I am not sure whether I need to declare an interest as a resident in one of the tenements in Kaukab Stewart’s constituency that she referred to.

We are, of course, aware that stakeholders have raised valid concerns about the existing tenant management scheme, which is set out in the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004. The independently chaired tenement short-life working group has been empowered to consider the issue and, as the member mentioned, we await its recommendations. I am sure that Kaukab Stewart will be keen to discuss that with the Government once the recommendations are available.

To meet what is in our ambitious heat and buildings strategy and in “Housing to 2040” we need communal work in tenements to be carried out in a way that is fair and effective. We will, therefore, fully consider any changes to the TMS before making legislative change.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

Question 4 is from Rhoda Grant, who joins us remotely.