SELECT, Scotland’s electrotechnical trade association, has welcomed the introduction of a Member’s Bill aimed at regulating the profession of electricians.
Last week, Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston began the process by introducing a Member’s Bill to the Scottish Parliament as a first step towards regulating electricians.
Alan Wilson, Acting Managing Director at SELECT, said: “This is a very welcome step and encourages us in our long-running campaign to make it illegal for anyone who is unqualified to call themselves an electrician in Scotland.
“Over 100 professions are currently protected in law, including gas engineers, but not electricians.
“Jamie Halcro Johnston is leading the way in highlighting the serious dangers that work carried out by unqualified electricians can create.”
The issue of Protection of Title has been considered by a Working Group set up by Scottish Government, but as yet no decision has been made about introducing protection for the profession.
Alan Wilson added: “We recently met Jamie to provide him with an update on the last Working Group meeting and we see the work he is doing on protection of title as part of a package of measures which will be necessary to protect the Scottish public.”
Jamie Halcro Johnston has met Scottish parliamentary officials to begin the process of introducing a Private Members’ Bill.
He commented: “The Scottish Government has dithered around the regulation of electricians. It has been discussed and discussed again, without any real commitments ever seeing the light of day.
“Electrical safety is vitally important. Every year, there are incidents of shocks and fires caused by electrical malfunctions. It is important that people carrying out electrical work are qualified and able to do so.”
For more information on SELECT, visit: www.select.org.uk.
