Governments planning to do something unpopular understand that they need to get on with it in the first few months of their term. I cite as evidence President Donald Trump, and our former PM Liz Truss, both of whom wasted no time in throwing everything into chaos. Rachel Reeves is another example, although in her case, she has managed to retain the support of her Prime Minister and enough of her party to survive political calamities like the winter fuel allowance cuts.

In the early days of the SNP/Green pact at Holyrood, a number of radical ideas came surging out in government policy documents such as the Heat in Buildings Bill. There were ambitious targets for social housing, and innovative ways of getting owner occupiers to step up to the plate and do their bit to tackle climate change. Linking the installation of net zero heating systems to house buying was something different, at least, which might have had a chance of achieving something.

The problem was that Patrick’s evangelistic approach may have frightened off more people than he convinced. Heat pumps may be three or four times more efficient than gas boilers, but huge costs for installation are bandied about; homes need insulated to the nth degree; and you need to double the size of your radiators and pipes to make it work. And they don’t work in Scotland anyway. Or so people keep telling me.

Weighing up the cost of a heat pump in the house you are about to buy against the cost of replacing that old fashioned kitchen is another consideration. And obliging owner occupiers to connect to local heat networks is just outlandish. Yet somehow super fast broadband finds its way into their homes.

The Holyrood election looms, and parties are getting their candidates and manifestos into place, ready for the fray. At times like this, awkward details need to be tidied up. So it looks like the Scottish Government is acting to assuage the fears of homeowners who do not relish the costs of going net zero. Rather than place onerous obligations on individuals, the government will place targets on itself (and as we have seen, targets are flexible).

It’s still not clear (to me, anyway) what social landlords will be expected to do to make their 20th century portfolio of leaky homes fit for purpose, and who pays for it.

There’s a positive angle in that the government will promote measures intended to achieve net zero without increasing fuel poverty. That’s good because it should rule out the installation of expensive electric heating systems in poorly insulated homes.

One last thing… in fairness to politicians, they can’t really change anything unless they’re in power. Perhaps the Scottish Government’s less evangelistic approach will enable all the MSPs to get behind an agreed strategy, and reduce the need for opposing parties to frighten the horses with wild tales about heat pumps. Climate change demands no less.

So Patrick, hail and farewell. You gave the Scottish Government an almighty shove, which it needed. Now for some practical politics. Ave atque vale.

(You can hear Jimmy Black and Kieran Findlay discuss changes to the Heat in Buildings Bill with Ashley Campbell of the Chartered Institute of Housing and Gillian Campbell of the Existing Homes Alliance. Listen to the Scottish Housing News Podcast below)

Jimmy Black is a City Councillor in Dundee and, until recently, chaired an RSL. He writes in a personal capacity.

The Scottish Housing News Podcast is co-hosted by Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black. All episodes are available here as well as on the following platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Spotify for Podcasters