THE Scottish Conservatives' candidate for North Ayrshire and Arran has called for a full reversal of plans to ban wood burning stoves in new homes.

Todd Ferguson's call comes after the SNP agreed to review the policy following pressure from the Scottish Conservatives, rural communities and the industry itself.

Regulations which came into force on April 1 effectively banned wood burning stoves from being installed in new build homes, which Mr Ferguson says would have a “deeply damaging” impact on rural Scotland.

Wood burning stoves are often an emergency source of heat for many households when the power goes out.

Mr Ferguson says the ban, which was backed up by the Greens while they were in government alongside the SNP, was "yet another example of how out-of-touch the Nationalists are with the needs of rural Scotland".

He says that the review of the regulations is welcome, but the SNP must now act with urgency and scrap them altogether.

Mr Ferguson said said: “The SNP’s ban on wood burning stoves was a completely ill-thought out policy.

“It summed up how out-of-touch they, and their former Green coalition partners, are with the needs of rural Scotland.

“Woodburning stoves are often an emergency source of heat for those living in North Ayrshire and Arran and many people living here were understandably concerned about what this new policy will mean.

“A review, only two months after the legislation came into force, is welcome but now the SNP must go further and reverse this ban in full.

“That will give the clarity our rural communities need going forward."

While Mr Ferguson is campaigning to become the area's representative in the UK Parliament, legislation on wood burning stoves is an area of policy that is devolved to Holyrood and thus the area's next MP, whoever they are, will have no power to vote on any future legislation on the issue.

Mr Ferguson said: “There is a clear choice facing voters in North Ayrshire and Arran at the General Election on July 4. 

"In key seats across Scotland, only the Scottish Conservatives can beat the SNP and ensure our rural communities have a strong voice standing up for their interests, rather than a Nationalist MP who will abandon them at every turn and instead prioritise their own independence obsession.”