Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 2 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding its plans to ensure that heat networks remain a fair and affordable heating solution for households in Scotland, in light of reports of high, varied and volatile pricing experiences by consumers.
Consumer protection including the price of heat is a reserved matter. We are working with the UK Government and Ofgem to support the introduction of GB-wide heat network authorisations under the UK Energy Act 2023. Authorisations came into effect in January 2026 and will introduce rules around fair pricing, clear and transparent billing and other protections for heat network customers for the first time.
Both the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action & Energy and I have recently written to the UK Government to ask what action it plans to take to address the cost of electricity for heat networks. We await a response on this.
Meanwhile, we are developing further Scottish regulation under the Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021 and the future Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill which will, in time, allow scrutiny of the expected outcomes and impacts on end users before projects begin construction. In March 2026 we will launch a public consultation on heat network licence proposals which will also set out our future plans in this area, in line with my statement to Parliament on 18 November 2026.