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The Stove Industry Association (SIA) has today (20th June 2024) welcomed the support pledged by the Scottish Conservative & Unionist party to protect the right of Scottish residents to burn wood for domestic heating.
In its Rural Manifesto launched by Rachael Hamilton MSP at the Royal Highland Show, the party states that it will scrap “the ban on wood burning stoves in new-build homes” and that “…the SNP’s proposed ban on wood burning stoves in all properties by 2045 also needs to be canned.”
The SIA has lobbied hard on behalf of its members since the New Build Heat Standard was introduced in Scotland in April this year and has also flagged its significant concern that the proposed Heat in Buildings Bill will not only further damage the stove industry in Scotland but will also decimate the housing market.
By highlighting that specifications within both the Standard and the planned Bill are at odds with the carbon reduction objectives of the legislation, the impact the ban is having and will have on rural communities in Scotland and the devastating consequences for an industry that supports 2,000 jobs and contributes an estimated £60 million annually to the Scottish economy, the SIA has played a key part in securing a commitment by Scottish government to review the legislation.
Commenting on the manifesto pledge Andy Hill, chair of the SIA, commented:
“We are delighted to see support for a full reversal of this damaging and ill-conceived policy. The SIA will be providing further evidence directly to the Minister for Climate Action and her team in the coming weeks as the review progresses. We have stressed the importance of expediting the review in order to protect businesses and livelihoods and ensure that the residents of Scotland can continue to rely on their wood burning stoves to keep their families warm this winter.”
