Boiler Scrappage Scheme » Scottish

Scottish Parliament Approves Boiler Scrappage Scheme

R Vickers — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:48:50 +0000

Alex Salmond’s SNP budget won approval yesterday from MSPs by 66 votes to 45, with the announcement of a £2m Boiler Scrappage Scheme for Scotland.

Pressure had been on the Scottish Government for some time to introduce a similar scrappage scheme to the one which has run so successfully in England since the beginning of 2010. Yesterday’s announcement marks a victory for boiler scrappage campaigners, who have included small businesses and opposition politicians.

Whilst the finer details of the scheme are yet to be made available, Salmond has promised that the Scottish Government is committing in full the £2 million Barnett ‘consequentials’ received as a result of UK Government expenditure on its boiler scrappage scheme.

The scheme forms part of the Scottish Energy Efficiency Action Plan which is due to be published in the spring. If the scheme follows the format of the one in place in England then up to 5,000 households could receive a £400 discount towards the cost of a new A-Rated boiler when scrapping their existing G-Rated boiler, providing it is in working order.

The Boiler Scrappage Scheme which is already running in England and is being administered by the Energy Savings Trust has had over 200,000 enquiries since its launch in January.

Welsh Officials Considering Boiler Scrappage Scheme

R Vickers — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:18:32 +0000

Environment minister Jane Davidson has announced that more than £4m could be spend in Wales on a Welsh Boiler Scrappage Scheme.

Wales is set to receive £4.07m of funding from the Treasury and it will be up to the Welsh Assembly Cabinet (WAG) as to how this money is allocated.

The Boiler Scrappage Scheme announced by the Chancellor Alistair Darling back in December was only for England, but Mrs Davidson said that the Welsh Assembly Government “is considering introducing a similar scheme in Wales, and we are currently working up a series of proposals taking into consideration the impact on those in fuel poverty, the relative carbon savings and value for money.”

Davidson did add: “If a boiler scrappage scheme is introduced to Wales, there is likely to be more emphasis on targeting fuel poor households.”

Conservative AM Alun Cairns however criticised the Welsh Assembly Cabinet for dragging its feet on the issue, claiming that: “By not adopting the English scheme the Assembly Government risks additional administrative and advertising costs, as well as confusing Welsh householders.”

Moving north of the border, communities Minister Alex Neil insisted last week that the Scottish Government had not ruled out introducing their own boiler scrappage scheme.