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As well as contributing to the UK Government''s Housing Benefit impact study for the UK, we have carried out a Scotland specific assessment. The findings are set out in the paper entitled Housing Benefit changes: Scottish Impact Assessment, which is available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/supply-demand/chma/marketcontextmaterials/hbchangesscottishimpact/.

The Home Insulation Scheme is managed by the Energy Saving Trust from its Scottish office. While based in Scotland, as part of its policies on equal opportunities the Energy Saving Trust employs both Scottish workers and those of other nationalities.

The appointment of Home Insulation Scheme contractors were required to follow a competitive procurement process under EU law.

This information is not held centrally. Installers are contractually obliged to comply with British and European insulation standards and best practice guidelines.

Reports providing an overview of all Home Insulation Scheme activity, including in regard to estimates of emission reductions are published monthly on the Energy Saving Trust website http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.

It is estimated that measures installed as a result of installations arising from 2009-10 budgets will achieve a reduction in carbon dioxide of 160,763 tonnes over the lifetime of the measures. Carbon dioxide savings are calculated using the OfGem Carbon Emission Reduction Targets scheme submission calculator. The lifetime of measures is assumed to be 40 years.

The Home Insulation Scheme programme funded by 2009-10 Budgets supported an estimated 228 jobs. It is not feasible to distinguish between existing jobs which would no longer have been supported without the scheme and new jobs created. It should be noted that this figure is in terms of direct employment only. The figure does not account for additional indirect employment due to the extra money in the local economy from wages nor job displacement due to the diversion of government investment from other sectors.

The figure is derived from the number of people within the Energy Saving Trust directly employed to manage the project, together with full time equivalent jobs based within the Energy Saving Scotland Advice Centre network working specifically to deliver the HIS programme. This is taken together with an estimate of the number of jobs derived from installing measures based on delivery of insulation measures supported by activity under the 2009-10 Home Insulation Scheme budget, as achieved by 5 December 2010, including householder and Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) contributions. This is an estimate based on assumed costs because the actual costs are commercially confidential. The number of jobs linked to installations is derived from Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes calculations which suggest that a market value of around £46,000 supports one job.

This information is not held centrally.

The Home Insulation Scheme tendering process includes a requirement for installers to detail their policy and procedures relating to sustainability. In this section installers have provided confirmation of ISO14000 Environmental Management accreditation and in some cases Ethical Trading and Human Rights policies covering ethical trading and environmental impact. Installers are also contractually obliged to comply with British and European insulation standards and best practice guidelines.

For example, Miller Pattison, the installer in four out of the 10 local council areas covered by the 2009-10 HIS programme, highlighted that 90% of their insulation is sourced from Superglass, based in Stirling. Superglass has stated that their blowing wool and loft quilt is made from at least 80% British sourced recycled glass.

The Scottish Government currently seeks advice from Scottish Environment Protection Agency on the carbon impacts calculated by developers for applications for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Scottish Natural Heritage considers the broader implications of climate change and the need to generate renewable electricity when responding to consultations but does not routinely consider the effect that particular developments would have on greenhouse gas emissions.

Home energy advisers had visited 72,453 properties at least once by 31 December 2009 and completed 19,285 home energy checks. Reports providing an overview of all Home Insulation Scheme activity are published monthly on the Energy Saving Trust website: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.

The appointment of Home Insulation Scheme contractors followed a competitive procurement process “ as required under EU rules given the scale of the scheme “ to source the best deal possible for customers. The Energy Saving Trust, as managing agent, which conducted the procurement process, divided the contract into lots to allow organisations to tender to be the delivery partner for individual HIS areas. This provided opportunities for smaller installers, who could not bid for multiple areas, to bid for their local area if they wished.

As a result, locally-based contractors were appointed as the sole nominated installers in Orkney and Glasgow.

The most recent round of procurement also built in a requirement that bidders provide evidence of local knowledge and an ability to deliver in local areas.

Other delivery partners are by definition local, including local authorities and the network of Energy Saving Scotland advice centres across Scotland and the doorstep energy assessors who are based in the areas where they work.

It is estimated that householder contribution to measures provided under the 2009-10 Home Insulation Scheme are a minimum of £420,000.