The role of government is to ‘demystify’ changes as Scotland progresses to net zero, says Ivan McKee

The government must work to “demystify” change to consumer's lives as Scotland progresses towards net zero, Ivan McKee has said.  

Speaking at the SNP’s annual conference in Edinburgh today, during a Holyrood fringe event in association with the Trust Alliance on how to build consumer and business trust in regulated markets, the business minster said the government must build trust with consumers and pointed to instances where his constituents have been mis-sold insulation products and solar panel insulation. 

Craig Wilson, policy and public affairs manager for the Trust Alliance Group – the energy ombudsman, said energy companies “can be great", and acknowledged that they can work with consumers to help the use new products encourage behaviour changes that would benefit Scotland’s push towards net zero.  

However, he added the risk of losing trust in that market “is permanent”.  

He said: “What we have seen in the last 10 years with the roll out of smart metres is that our first attempt as a society to put net zero technology in home en masse hasn’t gone particularly well.  

“Straight out of the starting blocks that has put a dent in the trust that these products and services won’t work for people.” 

The director of the David Hume Insitute, Susan Murray, told delegates that regulation needs to be reframed as “sexy” in order to get it right for Scotland. 

Murray said she is worried by lobbying that is “anti-red tape” and that sees the role of ombudsman as “getting in the way of doing good business”.  

She pointed to young people, who reframing regulation would help to gain their trust, who she says a portion are not putting their money in pension schemes because “they don’t trust they will get the money when they retire”. 

Murray said: “No matter what industry, we really need to think about how we champion things for people in Scotland and I think ombudsman and trust are really important.” 

Newly elected SNP MP, Graham Leadbitter acknowledged Murray’s point on red tape and, with a particular focus on the North of Scotland, which pays the highest bills for its energy, said many communities have spoken to him about forming community energy companies. 

He said: “They’re looking for changes in legislation that would enable that. 

“But you get into a question of if it is a community energy company that produces a small amount of energy for small community what the safety net is if something goes wrong and how do you support that community without over burdening it with red tape, whilst also ensuring that there is consumer protection. That is quite a challenge.”