Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 26 April 2023
26 Apr 2023 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Homelessness Prevention and Housing Supply
Our housing system is broken. Record numbers of children are trapped in temporary accommodation, and the homelessness rate is rising. Not only is that damaging to the health and wellbeing of people who are experiencing those appalling conditions, but the knock-on effects are felt throughout our society, in our schools and workplaces and, of course, on our streets.
We know that education, employment and health outcomes are all linked to our fundamental need for homes that we can thrive in. As Ben Macpherson has said, that basic need is also our right. Because housing is devolved, there is no excuse for this Parliament not to act. The housing emergency that we face is entirely avoidable. What it needs is political will from the Government and the resources to tackle it.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-08685, in the name of Mark Griffin, on homelessness prevention and housing supply. I invite those members...
Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which shows that I am the owner of a rented property in the North Lanarkshire Council area...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Mr Griffin, I take it that you are concluding, because you are over your time.
Mark Griffin
Lab
Certainly, Presiding Officer. I hope that that will change with the change of minister. The minister will absolutely have my support if it does. I move, T...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call the minister, Paul McLennan, to speak to and move amendment S6M-08685.2. 15:02
The Minister for Housing (Paul McLennan)
SNP
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I thank Mark Griffin for his kind words. Mark and I met yesterday, and I am keen to work ...
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
The minister has not yet mentioned the report of the temporary accommodation task and finish group. Does he accept what that report says and its recommendati...
Paul McLennan
SNP
I will address that point later in my speech. The 2023-24 budget shows a real-terms reduction of 4.5 per cent in Barnett formula funding since 2021-22. It i...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
You need to conclude, minister.
Paul McLennan
SNP
I conclude by reinforcing the commitment to work closely with housing partners as we seek to reduce the numbers of people in temporary accommodation and cont...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Miles Briggs to speak to and move amendment S6M-08685.1. You have up to four minutes, Mr Briggs. 15:08
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this debate on housing in its debating time. It follows the debate that the Scottish Conservatives brought to P...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
The number of children in temporary accommodation is at its highest level since records began. The number of households in temporary accommodation has gone u...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I advise the chamber that we are tight for time. Members will therefore have to stick to their time allocations. We move to the open debate. 15:17
Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
My casework is currently inundated with constituents experiencing housing issues. Families are stuck on waiting lists for permanent homes. Individuals are st...
Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, welcome another debate on the issue of housing and how we realise high-quality dwellings for all our constituents as a right and not just a commodity...
Roz McCall (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I thank Mr Griffin and the Labour group for using their parliamentary time to discuss the recommendations of the temporary accommodation task and finish grou...
Paul McLennan
SNP
I will be brief, because I am aware of the time. Scottish Women’s Aid’s “Policies Not Promises” report, which came out on 25 April, mentioned some of the iss...
Roz McCall
Con
I sincerely welcome that, and I am glad to hear that the Government is actually doing something about it. However, it is very relevant that it is mentioned i...
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Our housing system is broken. Record numbers of children are trapped in temporary accommodation, and the homelessness rate is rising. Not only is that damagi...
Ben Macpherson
SNP
I have yet to hear any suggestions about moving capital resource from another part of the budget into housing, and I am genuinely interested to hear the memb...
Mercedes Villalba
Lab
If the member is suggesting a meeting to discuss how we can use public investment to generate wealth for the whole of society, I would be very happy to take ...
Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
SNP
Despite, rightly, moving to a housing first solution wherever we can in Scotland, having places where people can sleep safely while a more suitable long-term...
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss homelessness and the housing challenges that Scotland faces with our new housing minister. Although we made goo...
Annie Wells (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
We should all be deeply troubled by the housing crisis in Scotland today. We are a rich country with so many resources at our disposal, yet homelessness stil...
Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Annie Wells
Con
I do not have enough time; I have only four minutes—sorry. The number of open homeless applications is at its highest level since data collection began in 2...
Bob Doris
SNP
Will the member give way?
Annie Wells
Con
I am out of time. Instead of pointing all the powers of this Parliament towards tackling the housing crisis, the SNP Government wants to point the finger of...
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
The debate was pretty consensual until what we heard from the previous speaker. I thank Shelter Scotland, Homes for Scotland and all the other organisations...