Our first Scottish Parliament reception: setting out FMB’s priorities for builders

FMB’s Scotland President Pam Wilson said: 'Since I first joined the Scotland Board, I’ve seen how FMB’s profile and influence in Scotland has increased. It’s so important that the FMB continues to speak out for all members but we need our politicians to listen: especially with the Scottish Parliamentary elections coming in May 2026.'

A landmark event at Holyrood

This was why we ran our first ever reception at the Scottish Parliament aimed at MSPs, civil servants and industry stakeholders on 12 November. Monica Lennon MSP was our host with FMB Scotland Director Gordon Nelson setting the scene and introducing the speakers. FMB’s CEO Brian Berry outlined why the FMB is proud to have and support members across all four nations of the UK.

Brian reaffirmed the FMB’s UK-wide commitment to representing small builders, announcing that similar events will be held in both the Welsh Parliament and Northern Ireland assembly in 2026.

Hearing from ministers, industry partners and members

Scottish Government Minister for Further and Higher Education Ben Macpherson MSP spoke warmly about the work of the FMB in Scotland. Neil Freshwater from our sponsors Velux, gave a short speech with insights into Velux’s future plans, noting that many FMB members are also Velux accredited installers. Pam Wilson spoke with authority and passion on the challenges of running a local building firm and applauded the work delivered by FMB members. Pam then drew out highlights from our manifesto.

Introducing the Builders’ Manifesto for Scotland 2026

Growth from the Ground Up: The Builders’ Manifesto for Scotland 2026 was warmly received in the room. The document sets out the key priorities for micro and SME builders to help unlock their potential in growing the Scottish economy over the next 5 years. These include:

• Skills – Invest in training and apprenticeships to grow a skilled workforce for the future.  
• Standards and Licensing – Introduce a mandatory licensing scheme to raise standards and protect consumers.  
• Retrofit and Energy Efficiency – Deliver a national retrofit strategy to upgrade Scotland’s existing homes and cut carbon emissions.  
• Planning and Housebuilding – Reform Scotland’s planning system to make it easier for SME builders to deliver high-quality homes.  
• Public Sector Contracts – Make procurement fairer and more accessible to small firms.  

What happens next?

Over the next few months, the work will really begin in building on the asks in the manifesto and influencing Scottish policy makers. The reception was a success with both Monica Lennon and Ben Macpherson asking the FMB to host another one next year.

A thank you to members

Finally, my thanks to the FMB members from different regions across Scotland who joined us at the reception.

Authors

Gordon Nelson

FMB Scotland Hub Director, Federation of Master Builders

Director, Federation of Master Builders Scotland

Gordon has nearly twenty years’ experience of working in membership organisations in Scotland and joined the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in 2014. Prior to this, he worked at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and for Unilever in business development, membership management and business-to-business marketing roles. Amongst his responsibilities in his role as the Director for FMB Scotland are public affairs, media relations, governance and representing member’s interests to Scottish policy makers and stakeholders within the Scottish construction industry. Gordon is the Secretary of the Cross-Party Group on Construction in the Scottish Parliament, and he is a member of the Scottish Building Standards Futures Board. Gordon represents the FMB on Scotland’s Construction Industry Collective Voice: which is comprised of the leading construction trade and professional bodies. In spring 2023 Gordon was appointed as an industry co-chair of the Construction Leaderships Forum’s (CLF) Transformation Board.

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