Latest news with #DouglasLumsden
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Net Zero push to cost Scots taxpayers £750million a year
The annual bill was predicted by the independent Climate Change Committee Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NATS chief's push to Net Zero will cost a 'jaw-dropping' £750million per year to deliver, experts advising the Scottish Government have said. And over the next 20 years that could see the economic cost of Net Zero hit a whopping £15billion. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Sign up 2 SNP chiefs are pushing for more renewable energy to help Scotland meet Net Zero targets 2 Scottish Tory net zero spokesman Douglas Lumsden urged costs should not fall on households Scottish Tory net zero spokesman Douglas Lumsden said the costs should not land on families and businesses. He said: 'This report confirms the jaw-dropping costs that will have to be incurred if the SNP are to have any hope of hitting their net zero ambitions. 'What it doesn't make clear is who is going to foot the bill for the £750 million worth of investment per year that the committee say will be required. 'That will alarm hard-pressed families and businesses who will fear being hammered with higher bills if they are forced to carry the burden themselves.' Find out what's really going on Register now for our free weekly politics newsletter for an insightful and irreverent look at the (sometimes excruciating) world of Scottish Politics. Every Thursday our hotshot politics team goes behind the headlines to bring you a rundown of key events - plus insights and gossip from the corridors of power, including a 'Plonker' and 'Star' of the Week. Sign up now and make sure you don't miss a beat. The politicians would hate that. SIGN UP FOR FREE NOW But the Climate Change Committee insisted reducing harmful emissions gradually to hit the 2045 carbon neutral target will also come with major savings for Scottish households. They said: 'Delivering these budgets will have a net cost of around 0.4% of Scotland's GDP per year but will come with significant wider economic benefits for Scotland. 'These include savings to the economy and households from using more efficient, electric technologies.' The committee added that hitting the target requires 'immediate action at pace and scale' with Scotland needing a 'rapid increase' in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads. They also said the installation of heat pumps must also 'accelerate rapidly'. Interim Chair of the Climate Change Committee, Professor Piers Forster said: 'We do need to see action now. 'The Scottish Government has devolved powers to deliver the necessary emissions reductions in key sectors, particularly buildings, surface transport, agriculture, and land use.' 'We encourage them to exercise these powers as quickly and fully as possible.' But In Holyrood on Tuesday, ministers revealed they are 'off track' to meet key climate commitments on home heating, electric vehicle use, and industrial emissions. The annual climate change plan monitoring report found 17 targets were being missed, 16 on track, and 10 too early to say. Acting net zero secretary Gillian Martin said the number of targets being 'off track' did not 'jeopardise our ability to reach our ambitious goal of net zero by 2045'. She added: 'However it does say to me that we all should understand and investigate the reasons behind why we're off track in those areas and ramp up action. 'We are fully committed to taking decisive action to ensure that we get back on track and make meaningful progress towards our goal.' A bumper UK-wide poll suggested Scots attitudes to Net Zero are not different to the rest of the country, with 56 per cent agreeing cutting the cost of living must come ahead of being eco-friendly. Just ten per cent here disagreed, while 34 per cent neither agreed nor disagreed. Mike Robinson of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said the Climate Change Committee's report showed Net Zero was 'deliverable'. He said: 'Climate action is not optional - the Scottish Government must now heed the CCC's advice, move on from discussing targets and whether we need to act to making it happen, and get Scotland's climate journey back on track.' Scottish Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur added: 'If Scotland is going to meet its vital net zero targets then we are going to need more than just hot air from the Scottish Government.' Scottish Labour's net zero spokeswoman Sarah Boyack added: 'There can be no more excuses – the SNP must take action to cut emissions in Scotland and deliver the green jobs of the future.' Ms Martin added: 'The carbon budgets proposed via secondary legislation must provide an achievable pathway to net zero in 2045 – one which delivers better health outcomes, puts more money in people's pockets, and leaves no workers behind.'
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Now prepare for years of Net Zero pain as SNP's green crusade set to cost £750m a year
Families face being hammered by an annual bill of up to £750million for 25 years for Scotland's route to net zero. They will face the 'jaw-dropping' upfront costs as a result of a mass shift away from conventional cars and gas boilers. A new report by Scottish Government advisers published today (WED) sets out how 'immediate action at pace and scale' is needed to ensure Scotland becomes net zero. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), an independent body set up to advise the Scottish and UK government on carbon emissions, set out a new 'pathway' for achieving the target, and said heat pumps and electric vehicles can be 'deployed rapidly' and help fuel the move. But it set out that the total net cost of achieving net zero will be £750 million per year between this year and 2050. It called for 'policy support' to help households with one-off costs but did not set out what proportion of the total bill will need to be funded by Scots families. It led to calls for more detail from SNP ministers about how hard-pressed families and businesses will be supported with the eye-watering costs. Scottish Conservative energy and net zero spokesman Douglas Lumsden said: 'This report confirms the jaw-dropping costs that will have to be incurred if the SNP are to have any hope of hitting their net zero ambitions. 'What it doesn't make clear is who is going to foot the bill for the £750 million worth of investment per year that the committee say will be required. 'That will alarm hard-pressed families and businesses who will fear being hammered with higher bills if they are forced to carry the burden themselves. 'John Swinney cannot ignore this report and pretend everything is fine with his current approach to tackling climate change. His SNP government have repeatedly failed to hit their own climate change targets and brought forward policies with little thought of the costs involved.' The report sets out how 'immediate action at pace and scale' is needed to ensure Scotland becomes net zero. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), an independent body set up to advise the Scottish and UK government on carbon emissions, set out a new 'pathway' for achieving the target, and said heat pumps and electric vehicles can be 'deployed rapidly' and help fuel the move. But it set out that the total net cost of achieving net zero will be £750 million per year between this year and 2050. It led to calls for more detail from SNP ministers about how hard-pressed families and businesses will be supported with the eye-watering costs. The CCC said electric vehicles and heat pumps are 'are available today and could be deployed rapidly' if the right incentives are in place. To achieve net zero, it said that three in five cars and vans on Scotland's roads will need to be fully electric rather than diesel of petrol by 2035, rising to 94 per cent by 2045, compared to 2.2 per cent of cars and 0.8 per cent of vans in 2023. It also said that 40 per cent of existing homes will need to be heated by low-carbon electric systems rather than fossil fuel boilers by 2035, rising to 92 per cent by 2045 and all by 2050. Capacity for offshore and onshore wind turbines must triple from 15 gigawatts (GW) in 2023 to 49GW by 2035, according to the CCC, and then to 66GW by 2045. The CCC report said: 'When combining capital and operating costs, we expect the Balanced Pathway to result in a net saving during the early 2040s. 'On average, there will be a net cost of around £750 million per year between 2025 and 2050, which is around 0.4 per cent of Scotland's GDP.' It said that it is 'disappointing' that Scottish Government plans to force homeowners to upgrade heating systems to low-carbon technologies when they are sold have been 'abandoned' without any alternative measures to ensure heating reaching net zero by 2045. In its key recommendations, the CCC said emissions should be cut by 57 per cent below 1990 levels between 2026 and 2030, then 69 per cent between 2031 and 2035, 80 per cent between 2036 and 2040, and 94 per cent from 2041 to 2045. It called for SNP ministers to 'urgently' consult on setting minimum energy efficiency standards for private homes, and on measures to transition from fossil fuel heating to low-carbon alternatives. The report also said: 'Getting to Net Zero by 2045 will require immediate action, at pace and scale. While the Committee offers advice, decisions on the exact pathway and policies within devolved powers are for the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament.' The Scottish Government previously dropped plans to cut emissions by 75 per cent by 2030 after admitting it was not achievable. The CCC estimates its 'balanced pathway' would allow this to be achieved in 2036. Scottish Labour net zero spokesman Sarah Boyack said: 'The SNP has already torn up one set of targets - we urgently need a real plan to meet the Scottish Government's remaining targets.' Scottish Liberal Democrat climate emergency spokesman Liam McArthur said: 'To date the Scottish Government haven't delivered when it comes to the hard graft of insulating homes, creating good green jobs and making sure everyone benefits from the transition to net zero. 'If Scotland is going to meet its vital net zero targets then we are going to need more than just hot air from the Scottish Government.' Friends of the Earth Scotland head of campaigns Caroline Rance said: 'It's time for Swinney to stop kicking the can down the road and get on with action that will reduce climate pollution and improve the lives of people across Scotland - warm homes, reliable public transport, and a fair and fast transition away from expensive, polluting fossil fuels.' Acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said: 'I am grateful for the latest advice from the Climate Change Committee on Scotland's Carbon Budgets. 'We will carefully consider the Committee's advice before bringing forward regulations to set carbon budget levels for Scotland. This will include consideration of the target setting criteria set out under the act, and an assessment of whether the pace of decarbonisation is appropriate for people, sectors and businesses across Scotland. 'The carbon budgets proposed via secondary legislation must provide an achievable pathway to net zero in 2045 - one which delivers better health outcomes, puts more money in people's pockets, and leaves no workers behind. 'That is the approach the Scottish Government has always taken, and measures announced in our Programme for Government like abolishing peak rail fares for good and delivering 24,000 additional public electric vehicle charge points by 2030, will contribute to that. 'That will be followed by a new Climate Change Plan, outlining our policies and proposals for reducing emissions between 2026 and 2040. This will be brought forward shortly after the carbon budget secondary legislation has been approved.'
Scottish Sun
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Civil servants let off with ‘slaps on the wrist' after being caught watching porn on government laptops
The Scottish Government has admitted there have been six attempts to log on to Pornhub since November alone GOV STAFF RAP Civil servants let off with 'slaps on the wrist' after being caught watching porn on government laptops Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CIVIL servants caught watching porn have been let off with 'slaps on the wrist', we can reveal. Only two have received formal written warnings since 2018 for accessing X-rated websites on their taxpayer-funded laptops. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Sign up 2 The revelation comes after a written question to Nats ministers from Douglas Lumsden Credit: Getty Yet the Scottish Government has admitted there have been six attempts to log on to Pornhub since November alone. Scottish Tory MSP Douglas Lumsden said: 'It's completely inappropriate for publicly funded equipment to be used to access dodgy websites or for other non-work purposes. 'But it's typical of the SNP government's reckless disregard for taxpayers' money that abuses of this sort, whether by ministers or civil servants, result in no more than a slap on the wrist.' The revelation comes following a written question to Nats ministers from Mr Lumsden. In it, SNP chiefs reveal the two formal disciplinary cases against civil servants accessing porn on government devices resulted in two written warnings. One was for six-months, and the other was for a year. But Benjamin Elks, of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: 'Anyone caught using government devices to access pornography should be sacked without hesitation. 'Scottish taxpayers will be rightly disgusted to see what their civil servants have been up to.' Just days ago John Swinney approved civil servants being forced to work in the office at least two days a week in a bid to boost productivity. And it comes after it was confirmed many government officials - most of whom were working from home - spend their time streaming their favourite Netflix shows. SNP balsted by opposition over MORE FERRY FIASCO delays Ministers said the number of attempts to log onto the streaming channel is too high to calculate. The latest revelations follow Health Secretary Michael Matheson having to resign after he racked up an £11,000 bill on his work iPad while abroad on a family holiday - and charged it to the public purse, before he resigned his position and agreed to pay it back. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Any attempt to access, download, display, store or distribute pornographic, racist or other offensive material, or material relating to illegal activities is considered a disciplinary matter, as outlined in the Scottish Government's IT Code of Conduct. Action is taken in line with Scottish Government disciplinary policy where concerns are identified. 'Scottish Government staff can use devices for personal use if this is within their own time, for example during the weekend or a lunchbreak. This is subject to restrictions on certain activities such as running a personal website or attempting to access inappropriate material online.'
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
For heaven's sake just fix the leaks! As water chiefs sound alarm during driest spell in 60 years, shock figures show 450 million litres are lost via burst pipes every day
Scottish Water has been slammed after it emerged it is losing hundreds of millions of litres through leaks every day. The quango warned Scots this week to conserve water, advising people to take shorter showers and avoid using hoses as Scotland endures its driest period in 60 years. But its own figures show it lost 454 million litres of water a day – equivalent to 181 Olympic-sized swimming pools – in the past year because of leaky pipes. Scottish Water has also been criticised for the pay and perks enjoyed by its highest-ranking bosses. Douglas Lumsden, Scottish Conservative energy and net zero spokesman, said: 'Highly paid bosses at this SNP quango should be leading by example. Given the current weather, people need to follow their advice to save water. However, Scottish Water cannot expect Scots to cut down given they are losing the equivalent of nearly 200 swimming pools each day, which people will see as completely hypocritical. 'This advice will also have a major impact on our farmers who rely on water for crop production and to do their jobs. 'Scots will be hoping that their efforts to cut down water wastage will prove more fruitful as this spell of good weather continues.' Average reservoir levels are at 81 per cent – 10 per cent lower than usual for this time of year. Rainfall for May so far has also been lower than average across most of the country, with dry, sunny conditions expected to continue until at least Thursday. As part of the wide-ranging advice on its website, Scottish Water suggests people take buckets into the shower with them to catch water while they wash and use this for their garden. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: 'Being told to reduce water consumption will be hard for people to swallow when Scottish Water have failed to fix underlying problems and leaky pipes.' He said Scottish Water can find money for bonuses for its bosses 'but still aren't on top of sewage dumps or faulty infrastructure'. Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said the quango must do more 'to reassure people that it is getting its own house in order' and to show 'it is operating transparently, fairly and in the public interest'. Scottish Water said it has reduced the amount of water being lost over the long-term but admitted it is still one of its 'most important operational issues'. A spokesman added: 'We work hard every day to find and fix leakage. A large proportion of the leaks we now have are small in size and nature, so harder to find and fix, and we are deploying a range of approaches and innovations to hunt them down. 'About a quarter of leakage is from pipework within home owners' gardens and under driveways. We will support home owners to resolve these problems when identified.' In addition to being criticised for its leaks, Scottish Water was ordered in 2023 to carry out an emergency clean-up of tap water supplies after they were found to pose a 'potential danger to human health'. The Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland served an enforcement notice after finding an alarming backlog of maintenance work. The watchdog intervened following a series of alerts, including one in which animal remains were found at the bottom of a tank supplying thousands of home in Ayrshire. Responding at the time, Scottish Water said it had actions in place to address the issues raised 'in the fastest possible time'. Meanwhile, Surfers Against Sewage will hold protests at various locations today to raise the issue of sewage spills and its frustration over Scottish Water's work on the issue. Data it has gathered shows there were 3,498 monitored spills in Scotland's waters last year. The charity said that due to Scottish Water only monitoring a small fraction of the sewage network, the actual number of spillages is likely to be far higher than the figures reported. A spokesman for Scottish Water said: 'At an average cost of circa £25,000 per monitor it's important we use public money wisely, with investment focused on areas where monitors could have the biggest environmental impact. 'Independent regulator Sepa rates 87 per cent of Scotland's water environment as either good or excellent.' It comes as Scotland's heatwave is set to continue next week – with little sign of rain until the weekend. Alex Plant, Chief Executive Mr Plant, 55, raked in an eyewatering £483,000 pay package last year. As well as a £246,000 salary and £87,000 bonus, there were pension contributions of £67,000 and £83,000 of benefits. That included a one-off £73,000 payment made to Mr Plant – who had previously been director of strategy and regulation at Anglian Water – to relocate to Edinburgh. A graduate of Nottingham University, he held roles at Cambridgeshire County Council, the Civil Aviation Authority, HM Treasury and the Inland Revenue before joining the water sector. Peter Farrer, Chief Operating Officer Mr Farrer, 63, who was appointed in 2013, pocketed £270,000 in pay and perks last year, according to Scottish Water's 2023-24 annual report. A chartered civil engineer, he has worked as Scottish Water's customer service delivery director, general manager of asset planning and business performance and general manager of operations. In a 39-year career in the sector, he held operational and engineering roles at Scottish Water's predecessors, East of Scotland Water and Lothian Water and Drainage. When his staff downed tools last month after rejecting a 3.4 per cent pay rise, Mr Farrer, insisted the company's offer was 'fair and progressive'. Alan Dingwall Chief Financial Officer Mr Dingwall, 51, joined Scottish Water in June last year on a £215,000 salary following a ten-year stint at public services provider Serco. After graduating in 1995 in economics and finance from the University of Strathclyde, he joined the executive management programme at Oxford University's Said Business School before working at board level in executive positions and as a non-executive director. On his LinkedIn page, Mr Dingwall states: 'Integrity and personal commitment are important to me and provide the motivation to make a difference.'
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Beware the great energy switch off as hundreds of thousands face being hit by meter change
Hundreds of thousands of Scots are at risk of losing their hot water and heating when their electricity meters are switched off next month, it was warned last night. Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) meters – which date back to the early 1980s and use radio signals to switch the meter from peak to off-peak prices – are about to be deactivated. But many householders are struggling to get them replaced in time, sparking fears that they will be left without a hot water supply and functioning heating if their meter is not replaced before the end of June. Last night there were fears that not enough had been done to prevent widespread confusion and fear, particularly among vulnerable and elderly bill-payers. Scottish Tory energy spokesman Douglas Lumsden said: 'These changes pose a serious risk to elderly and vulnerable customers in particular who could lose access to heating and hot water in a matter of weeks. 'Both SNP and Labour ministers should do everything possible to raise awareness of these issues and outline how they will support those who need help transferring to the new system.' By the end of April, more than 430,000 RTS meters still had to be replaced in the UK - with around 135,000 located in Scottish properties. The reason for the disproportionate number in Scotland is partly due to geography - with a large rural population in areas like the Highlands and Islands, many households are off the mains gas grid and therefore more likely to use electricity for hot water and heating. Energy companies have admitted that current rates of replacement mean it is likely that thousands of RTS meters will not have been upgraded before the technology is switched off. The RTS system – a feature of older electricity meters which controls heating and hot water - uses a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates. But the technology is becoming obsolete and energy companies have a deadline to change their customers' meters by June 30. The number of individual Scots affected by the RTS shambles could run into the hundreds of thousands. Most homes have standard meters and will not be affected, whether or not they have a smart meter. More than 1,000 RTS meters are being replaced every day in the UK. Ned Hammond, deputy director for customers of Energy UK, which represents energy firms, told BBC Radio 4's You And Yours programme that the rate of replacement is rising, but added: 'Obviously we'd need to increase from there significantly still to replace all the meters by the end of June.' Asked whether it is impossible to get every RTS meter switched over by June 30, he said: 'I wouldn't want to say impossible - but clearly very, very difficult to get to that point.' Industry regulator Ofgem has said the risks associated with not having a functioning meter include heating and hot water left continually on or off, electric storage heaters charging at the wrong time of day, possibly leading to higher bills, and the supplier being unable to confirm electricity usage during peak or off-peak times. The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to the watchdog and the Government to raise concerns about the pace and communication of the meter replacement effort. The coalition said the replacement programme is falling dangerously behind schedule, with energy suppliers unable to meet existing targets and thousands of customers - especially in rural Scotland - still without a plan for replacement. The letter reads: 'Based on our members' conversations with energy suppliers, we estimate that, in Scotland alone, tens of thousands of RTS meters are yet to be addressed, leaving many consumers in limbo.' Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: 'Our member organisations across the country will continue to do all they can to support the transition and raise awareness of the switch, but urgent action is now required.' According to Ofgem, you may have an RTS meter if your home has a separate switch box near your meter with a Radio Teleswitch label on it; your home is heated using electricity or storage heaters; there is no gas supply to your area; you get cheaper energy at different times of day, for example, on an Economy 7 tariff. If you haven't been contacted, Ofgem recommends contacting your supplier to arrange the replacement. Ofgem said householders should 'beware if someone contacts you claiming you need to pay to change your meter because it is likely to be a scam'. Speaking in March, the Scottish Government's Acting Minister for Climate Action Dr Alasdair Allan said: 'There is a real and pressing need for suppliers to be made to explain what their workforce plan is to get engineers to premises. 'Consideration should also be given to additional enforcement action to reduce no-show instances and to ensure that every household is fitted with a fully functioning meter before the deadline. 'Due to the cost of living crisis, it is also unacceptable to expect consumers to pay for expensive re-wiring as a consequence of the RTS switch-off - they should not be confronted with any additional anxieties. 'The creation of a fund to support consumers in this position is critical. 'While devolved governments do not hold the levers, the Scottish Government will work with Ofgem, the UK Government and industry to raise awareness of the RTS switch-off.'
