Dave Hawkey
Senior research fellow, IPPR ScotlandDave is a senior research fellow at IPPR Scotland.
Dave's experience spans government, regulation and academia, with particular expertise in energy and climate policy. Before joining IPPR, Dave worked at the Scottish government in the heat in buildings division, coordinating heat and energy efficiency policies with wider climate, welfare, economic and energy policies. Dave has also worked at Ofgem, developing rules for gas distribution network companies to operate under, with a focus on environmental sustainability.
Earlier in his career, Dave was senior research fellow at the University of Edinburgh, playing a central role in the Heat in the City research group. His work explored policy and practice on zero emissions heat and energy efficiency, traversing scales from the lived experience of a heat network being installed on a housing estate, to the formation of national energy policies.
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Constructive coalitions? What the election means for the seventh session of the Scottish parliament
What do the results of the 2026 Scottish parliament election tell us about how Scottish politics is changing? What do progressive parties need to do to get back on track?
Must try harder: do the Holyrood 2026 manifestos meet our tests?

More for less? Employment, productivity and reform in Scottish public services
Excellent public services should be foundational to a flourishing society.
What would it take to eradicate child poverty in Scotland?
Delivering on the First Minister’s commitment to ‘eradicate’ child poverty seems a long way off.
More than a safety net: The welfare state as springboard to economic success and a better country
A perceived conflict between social spending and economic dynamism is deeply embedded in both Scottish and UK political discourse.
Apples and oranges? Scottish teachers’ pay in international context
This is the first in a series of IPPR Scotland blogs as part of our project on Employment, Productivity and Reform in the Scottish Public Sector. This project is funded by the Robertson Trust.