20 November 2025, Scotland

In response to the Scottish Government’s announcement that a Heat in Buildings Bill will not be introduced in the current session of the Scottish Parliament, David Cowdrey, Director of External Affairs at The MCS Foundation said:  

“While it’s disappointing that this Parliament will end without a Heat in Buildings Bill, the coming months provide a unique opportunity to shape an ambitious framework for what this could look like, enabling the Scottish Government to hit the ground running when Parliament returns following the election next year.  

The Government’s commitment to introduce a heat decarbonisation target is welcome. By transforming the way we heat, cool and power Scottish homes, no direct-emission heating system will be used in any building in Scotland by 2045. Scotland already leads the nations in the uptake of heat pumps: six of Britain’s top ten areas for certified heat pump installations are in Scotland. This shows the momentum that exists and can be further built on with the right policies behind it to ensure that target is met. 

Engaging the wider small-scale renewable energy industry will be key to the success of today’s announcements, including the heat decarbonisation strategy. Industry and consumers alike need certainty, and a clear plan for translating policy into practice. The clearest way to do that is to set a date when no new oil or gas boilers can be installed. At The MCS Foundation, we believe that this must be done from 2035. 

The Scottish Government rightly notes that ensuring there are qualified people in place to install heating systems and ensure quality will be critical to the success of its decarbonisation strategy. MCS, as the UK’s quality mark for small-scale renewable energy system, will play a critical role in this by boosting consumer confidence, providing consumer protection and setting and maintaining standards.  

At The MCS Foundation we look forward to continuing to engage with the Scottish Government, both current and future, to ensure every house in Scotland benefits from being carbon free.”