Thousands of Scots will miss out on a scheme to give them money towards a new central hearing boiler, it was claimed last night.
Downing Street launched a boiler scrappage scheme yesterday similar to the one launched earlier in the year for old cars.
Under the latest plan householders with an old G-rated boiler, the least energy efficient, will be able to apply to the Energy Saving Trust for £400 towards an A-rated boiler or a renewable energy system such as a biomass boiler or heat pump. The UK Government said the £50million scheme will save as much carbon as taking 45,000 cars off the road and save homeowners up to £235 a year in fuel bills.
It is estimated that 125,000 householders south of the border could benefit.
Labour claimed up to 12,000 Scots will miss out however, because the SNP has failed to match the promised grants.
Labour MP for Edinburgh North and Leith Mark Lazarowicz said: “There is no reason why the SNP should exclude Scotland. Labour is prepared to help families though the winter by upgrading old, polluting boilers.
“The SNP needs to put aside political differences and work with the Labour Government and the Scottish plumbing industry to make this happen. It is a devolved matter and their responsibility.”
Mr Lazarowicz said he had been contacted by representatives of the plumbing industry in Scotland, many of whom were furious that the SNP were not taking part.
According to the heating industry, the average cost of buying and installing a new boiler is around £2,500.
The government said the scheme will help sustain work for 130,000 installers during the recession and more than 25 UK-based boiler manufacturers.
The Scottish Government said Labour’s claim was “completely inaccurate” as no decision had yet been made on how to spend the £23million “consequentials” Scotland will receive as a result of the chancellor’s pre-Budget report.
A spokesman said: “It is just wrong to suggest the Scottish Government has advised the Scottish plumbing industry that the scheme will not operate here, we have done no such thing.
“It is for Scottish ministers to determine how to use the consequentials available to them from the pre-Budget report, and we will make further announcements in due course.”
He added: “We are consulting on an Energy Efficiency Action Plan for Scotland, and welcome views on any Scottish energy-saving scheme including potential incentives to replace boilers.” The Green Party said the Scottish Government will receive £11million as result of additional spending on renewable energy elsewhere in the UK.
MSP Patrick Harvie urged Finance Secretary John Swinney to use the money on a boiler replacement scheme.
“John Swinney is getting a multimillion-pound windfall because UK ministers decided to fund a boiler scrappage scheme, and the SNP simply must put this money into a similar scheme to help Scots replace inefficient and expensive old heating systems.”