Jardine criticises SNP and Tory failure on home insulation

Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine has criticised the slow rollout of a Scottish Government insulation scheme.

In December 2022, Christine first wrote to Ministers about the growing rate of mould and damp in social housing across Edinburgh, calling for extra funding specially for repairs and damp-proofing.

But rather than providing a funding boost, the recent Scottish Government budget slashed the money available for housing projects.

This comes as Green Minister Patrick Harvie revealed just 3,500 homes received insulation through its Warmer Homes scheme so far in the 2023-24, in response to a question in the Scottish Parliament from Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie.

This is less than 1% of the estimated 433,000 homes that could be eligible for support, with only 36,000 receiving any help since its launch in 2015.

Christine has also called for an emergency home insulation programme to be funded by the UK Government. 

She said: “Rather than gold, frankincense and myrrh, it seems all my constituents have received for Christmas this year is mould, damp and a huge heating bill thanks to these delays.

“In the last twelve months, I have written to two Scottish Housing Ministers urging them to give councils more money to tackle mould and damp in social housing, and pressed the UK Government to fund an emergency insulation scheme.

“But the cuts in Shona Robison’s recent budget mean they will be unable to cope, and Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement failed to mention the energy price crisis thousands of people are still in.

“Together with these damning figures, it is clear both our Governments are letting down homeowners and renters alike. 

“We desperately need a fair deal for housing to deliver warmer, greener, affordable homes that communities across Edinburgh desperately need.”