Scottish Greens welcome Government interest in housing “warmth audit”
Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman has welcomed interest from the Scottish Government in her proposal for a warmth audit of homes in Scotland. Ms Chapman raised the question following a Ministerial Statement on Winter Heating Payment in Holyrood today.
Ms Chapman asked: “This payment in Scotland is, undoubtedly, very welcome. But should we not be looking beyond mitigation, at what we can be doing to ensure everyone lives in comfortably warm homes, whatever the weather, whatever the season, whatever their income?
“Too many homes are poorly insulated and draughty. A “warmth audit” of all domestic properties – perhaps starting with those in receipt of winter heating payments – might be a more transformative approach if that “audit” was then responded to systematically. Is this something the Cabinet Secretary would consider?”
Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley Ann Sommerville expressed interest in furthering discussions with the Scottish Greens about how to approach an audit of this kind.
Ms Chapman said: “The Scottish Government’s interest is welcomed and I hope it leads to something positive to address the crisis many people across Scotland are facing; not only in the depths of winter, but year-round with hard to heat homes that can lead to fuel poverty.
“All families, all people, everywhere in Scotland, deserve a warm, well-insulated home that isn’t difficult or costly to heat. The least we can do is seek to find solutions for those who lack that.”