Cole-Hamilton: Scottish budget lacks any urgency to insulate homes

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today urged the Scottish government to launch a nationwide emergency insulation programme as he revealed that this Scottish budget makes no more meaningful provision than the last to bring down soaring energy bills.    

In the 2023/24 budget, the government has allocated £366m to the Heat in Buildings programme. However, compared to the spending allocation for this programme in the 2022/23 budget, this represents only a marginal increase of 2.8% (£10m). Since then, inflation and energy bills have spiralled.  

To make matters worse, £83m of funding in the current year has been returned after the government failed to spend it.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:  

“This whole programme is moving at a glacial pace. It's clear that the budget, in its current form, lacks any sense of urgency to insulate homes and businesses against the spiralling cost of living and climate emergency.  

“The trajectory for this investment hasn’t budged despite the climate warnings becoming more dire and the cost-of-living crisis plunging more people into poverty by the day.

“Warmer Homes Scotland is helping fewer people now than when it was launched six years ago. The Scottish government need to get their act together.  

“If the SNP and Greens won’t tackle the cost-of-living crisis or the climate emergency, Scottish Liberal Democrats will. That’s why we are calling for a national emergency insulation programme all across Scotland, with a particular focus on those homes which are hardest to heat. This is the kind of dynamic and pragmatic response that we need to see from government, but budget decisions like this simply don’t inspire confidence.”