“Cowardly” decision to drop warm homes plan by Scottish Government

Environmental campaigners said the “cowardly” decision by the Scottish Government to drop the Heat in Buildings Bill represented “an epic failure” to deliver climate solutions that would improve lives.

One third of Scottish households are in fuel poverty creating huge costs to the NHS from the health impacts of cold homes.
 

Research from Citizens Advice suggests that insulating people’s homes would mean more than half a million new cases of childhood asthma avoided by the end of the decade and could save the NHS £2billion across the UK.
 
Friends of the Earth Scotland senior climate campaigner Alex Lee commented,  
“This cowardly choice by the Scottish Government condemns people to cold homes, high bills and ill health for even longer.
 
“Well insulated, warm homes are a win win solution to bring down household energy bills, improve people’s health and wellbeing and cut climate emissions. It is an epic failure by the Scottish Government not to champion this climate solution and bring forward the money and support needed to make that positive change in people’s lives.” 
 
“With the spiraling cost of living, decent, well-insulated homes are vital. People are already worrying about heating costs and their health at this time of year. To tackle fuel poverty, the Scottish Government should ramp up funding to create a street by street programme to insulate homes, starting with those people in greatest need first. Instead of meeting with energy company lobbyists, Ministers should be listening to folks having to choose between heating and eating.”
 
“This choice by Ministers adds to the litany of climate rollbacks under John Swinney from scrapping plans to cut cars on our streets, abandoning its Just Transition Plan for workers and failure to oppose new oil drilling like Rosebank.”