ABERDEEN Central MSP, Kevin Stewart, is among four former government ministers supporting SELECT’s campaign for electrical industry regulation.
Former Business and Trade Minister Ivan McKee and ex-Transport Minister Kevin Stewart, both from the SNP, have added their backing to SELECT’s ongoing campaign for the regulation of the electrical industry. Conservative MSPs Craig Hoy and Oliver Mundell have also joined the cause, showcasing the cross-party support for the initiative. The long-running campaign aims to establish protection of title for electricians, ensuring qualified professionals undertake critical safety work.
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Mr. McKee emphasised the role of electricians in the future, stating: “Regulation would provide reassurance that someone calling themselves an electrician was qualified.” Mr. Stewart highlighted the safety-critical nature of the profession, stating: “Being an electrician is a safety-critical profession, so it is vital that only those people with appropriate skills and qualifications carry out such work.”
Using a qualified electrician, according to Mr. Stewart, “gives consumers the confidence that they are employing an expert who undertakes continued professional development and regular assessments to ensure they maintain the highest standards of safety and technical integrity at all times.” Mr. Hoy, representing South Scotland, voiced concerns about unqualified individuals, saying: “There are thousands of people in Scotland claiming to be electricians without adequate training or certification.”
Mr. Mundell stressed the importance of helping consumers make informed choices when hiring electricians: “It is vitally important that consumers are helped to make informed choices whenever they employ an electrician.”
The latest expressions of solidarity follow the addition last year of Labour MSP and businessman Foysol Choudhury and leading construction organisations, including the Building Safety Group, LINIAN, Flexel, and Hager.
SELECT Managing Director Alan Wilson expressed gratitude for the growing support, particularly from those who have served in ministerial roles. He highlighted the campaign’s focus on safety in homes and businesses, stating: “At SELECT, we feel there is a growing understanding of the validity of the case that is being made for electricians, who will be the professionals we turn to as we transition to net zero and an electric future.”
“The campaign, which focuses on safety in the home and in businesses, has been a long, hard road, but there is a sense that we are entering the end game, and we will continue to focus all our efforts in bringing it to a successful conclusion,” Mr. Wilson added.
By putting their names on a virtual brick in the Wall, supporters are taking a public stance underlining their backing for legislation in Holyrood, making it an offence for someone to call themselves an electrician without adequate qualifications.
SELECT has been leading the campaign for years with other industry bodies, including the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) and Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT), to ensure those working in the industry do so in a safe and competent manner.
In addition to more than a third of MSPs, other bodies contributing to the cause include Unite the Union, Electrical Safety First, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Scottish Association of Landlords, the Specialist Engineering Contractors’ Group, and the Energy Saving Trust.
