RHODA GRANT: Boiler phase-out needs to consider housing stock in Caithness and across the Highlands and Islands
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Holyrood Notebook by Rhoda Grant
The weather is certainly changing – after a gorgeous summer I feel myself adjusting to this colder weather more slowly than previous years.
Of course, I can choose to put my heating on. Some households have to keep their heating on all year round due to health conditions, and some households will be fighting to keep theirs off for as long as possible.
That is why I am watching to see how our Scottish Government will react to the Prime Minister’s announcement to delay the ban on gas boilers.
Reaching our net-zero targets is vital for future generations and the planet. However, to do that both governments need to ensure that it is a just transition and that no one is left behind.
Currently, I do not believe our governments have a creditable plan on how to responsibly phase out gas and oil boilers. Many regions in Scotland – including Caithness – are off gas grid and many Highlands and Islands residents live in older stone houses.
These houses are hard to insulate and tend to be cold and draghty. They are also hard to heat and unsuitable for heat pumps unless they are totally retrofitted with insulation. There is not adequate government help to finance this so the costs are loaded onto the homeowners, many of whom cannot afford to pay out tens of thousands of pounds – especially in this cost-of-living crisis.
I believe the government should be concentrating on ensuring all houses are well insulated, that would mean everyone would use less energy for heating which will both lower fuel bills and lower carbon emissions.
When that is done, we can then install low carbon heating systems.
This month I had a meeting with the SSPCA over their closure of the Caithness re-homing centre.
This closure came as a shock to many Caithness residents, and I was interested to hear why the charity chose to do this. Although I thank them for meeting with me, I left feeling more uneasy and uncertain on whether this is the right decision.
The SSPCA were keen to underpin that this centre is just bricks and mortar and that SSPCA officers would still be working in the community.
However, I believe this will put further strain on other animal welfare charities in the area. Additionally, it will put strain on local police officers because, technically, when an arrest is made of a pet owner the statutory duty to look after the pet lies with them.
I have contacted the local police to enquire how they feel about this closure. However, I can’t help but feel this is a short-sighted decision which will result in more pets being taken out of the area and welfare issues going unnoticed and unquestioned.
Lastly, I wish to agree with Caithness Chamber of Commerce on the future security of the Wick-Aberdeen flight which is subsidised by the Scottish Government.
Myself and other MSPs are looking at a cross-party approach to this and I will update readers on how this develops.
- Rhoda Grant is a Labour MSP for the Highlands and Islands.
