Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP outside the Scottish parliament building
The parliamentary bill would give electricians the sort of professional status and protection enjoyed by architects but denied to engineers and surveyors.
If passed, it would be illegal for someone to call themself an electrician unless they had the ‘right’ qualifications.
The bill has been submitted as a private Member’s Bill by Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston but it could still get through.
Select, the Scottish electrical contractors association, has been campaigning for this legislation for years. Managing director Alan Wilson said: “This has been a long journey, which is not yet complete, but this is an extremely important step on the road towards protection of title. The bill will be scrutinised by legislators and other experts but, given the outstanding levels of cross-party and cross-discipline support that the campaign has already achieved, it is to be hoped that the logic of our argument will be accepted.”
The Members’ Bill will now go to a committee stage for examination and then, if it proceeds, to two further amendment stages. If it is passed, it will then be sent for Royal Assent and become an Act of the Scottish Parliament.
Alan Wilson added: “More than 100 professions, including gas engineers, are protected in law – but not electricians, who carry out extremely complex work which is vital to the smooth running of our society. It is an anomaly which is ripe for rectification.”
Mr Halcro Johnston, who is MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said: “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.”
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