Parliament Workbench
Data: Official Report to 12 Nov 2026

Official Report · Committee

New Petitions

Solar Power (PE637)

Wednesday 3 September 2003 Public Petitions Committee Petitions 6 contributions · 3 speakers

Speakers

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The record

6 contributions
John Scott Con The Deputy Convener · Ayr
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PE637, from J Russell Thomson, calls for the Scottish Parliament to take the necessary steps to amend the planning and building regulations to ensure that each new building is fitted with sufficient solar panels to provide an adequate hot water system for the building.The petition is prompted by the petitioner's belief that, had relevant material on the benefits of a new advanced form of solar heating been available at the time of consideration of his original petition—PE267—on the same topic, the predecessor committee might not have accepted the Executive's position on the matter and agreed to take no further action. At the time, in November 2001, the Executive had no plans to amend building regulations to require the installation of solar panels in buildings for water heating because the technology was considered to be too expensive. Indeed, it appears that the Executive has no plans even now.The Parliament has recently considered legislation, to which I was party, on that matter. Nonetheless, we may wish to consider the issue.

Jackie Baillie Lab Dumbarton
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The substance of the petition is that there have been technological advances. I am conscious of that and of the fact that a more cost-effective method has been identified. We should write to the Executive to establish what its view is on a number of fronts.I might be wrong about this, but I think that design guidance that is issued by Communities Scotland to housing associations encourages sustainability and the use of renewable energy sources. The Executive should work in that direction with building regulations.We could ask the Executive whether it intends to amend building regulations or to publish guidance to encourage solar power, and whether it is taking any other steps with the Department of Trade and Industry—which has taken a lead on the matter—to encourage the installation of solar heating in new buildings.

John Scott Con The Deputy Convener · Ayr
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Are members happy with that worthwhile recommendation?

Linda Fabiani SNP Central Scotland
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I have just one wee rider to add. The petitioner asks the Executive to make the inclusion of solar heating compulsory under the building regulations. Is Jackie Baillie suggesting that we should ask for the Executive's general view on amending building regulations, but not necessarily request compulsory solar measures?

Jackie Baillie Lab Dumbarton
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I will clarify what I said. Building regulations could make solar power compulsory, but I wondered whether there could be guidance. That question would be worth exploring further.

John Scott Con The Deputy Convener · Ayr
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Thank you for your clarification. We will proceed on that basis.

In this meeting

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