Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 14 May 2024
14 May 2024 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill
I will continue.
In the previous session, I and others pressed the then housing minister, Kevin Stewart, for action. Jeremy Balfour mentioned that. However, Kevin Stewart seemed more interested in trying to find differences between the ways that the issue was being tackled here and south of the border. We could not get him to ban combustible cladding in Scotland. Members should think about that. We have been slower to act here.
When I spoke in the stage 1 debate, I quoted the committee report, which said that, although the Scottish Government had
“committed to ensuring that all 105 buildings”
in its remediation programme—we do not know what those 105 buildings are, by the way—were
“on a pathway to a single building assessment by summer 2024 ... in England ... 42%”
of buildings had
“either started or completed remediation works.”
What has happened here? Two buildings.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-13190, in the name of Paul McLennan, on the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill. I invite memb...
The Minister for Housing (Paul McLennan)
SNP
I am delighted to open the stage 3 debate on the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill. I am sure that we all recall the events of 14 June 2017. The...
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I thank the Parliament’s clerks for their assistance with amendments to stage 3. I also pay tribute to and thank the Minister for Housing for the constructiv...
Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the members of the bill team and the minister for making themselves available to my Labour colleagues and me during the passage of the bill. I also t...
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
The Scottish Government’s stated ambition for the bill is to accelerate the progress of the cladding remediation programme. It is good to see that the commit...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
I thank members for their efforts in successfully piloting the bill through Parliament. I also thank the staff, the clerks and the bill team. I am grateful t...
Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
SNP
I pay tribute to all my colleagues—committee members and other colleagues—who helped to steer and shape the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill th...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I, too, add my congratulations to the committee, the minister and the Government for getting the bill to where it is today. The bill is better today than it ...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
One month from today, 14 June, will mark seven years since the Grenfell tower fire, which claimed the lives of 72 people. That it has taken so long for the P...
Ariane Burgess
Green
The Scottish Government’s stated ambition for the bill is to accelerate the progress of the cladding remediation programme. In closing the debate, I reiterat...
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
It is a pleasure to close the debate for Scottish Labour. As we have heard, since the Grenfell tower tragedy, the Scottish Government has fallen behind the r...
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I will start my speech as I started my speech at stage 1, by remembering what started this all off. Others have said it, but I will repeat it. When Grenfell ...
Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP)
SNP
Like Mr Simpson, I want to see action as quickly as possible for my constituents. Does he agree that one of the many learning points on the issue, over the p...
Graham Simpson
Con
I am disappointed in Ben Macpherson for that contribution. I normally agree with a lot of what he says, but to try to seek division between Governments on th...
Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Graham Simpson
Con
I will. Can I have extra time, Presiding Officer?
Alasdair Allan
SNP
I was merely muttering to myself, but I think that Ben Macpherson said the opposite of what Graham Simpson has characterised him as having said.
Graham Simpson
Con
I will continue. In the previous session, I and others pressed the then housing minister, Kevin Stewart, for action. Jeremy Balfour mentioned that. However,...
Ben Macpherson
SNP
Will Mr Simpson take another intervention?
Graham Simpson
Con
I really am going to need extra time if I take another intervention.
The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
I can allow a little extra time.
Ben Macpherson
SNP
I thank Mr Simpson for taking the intervention. I know from our work on tenements that he understands this point very well, but the fact that we have a diffe...
Graham Simpson
Con
I thank Ben Macpherson for that intervention, but I say to him that it should not have taken seven years for us to get to this point. I think that he would a...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Paul McLennan to wind up—until 10 past 5, minister.
Paul McLennan
SNP
For how long, Presiding Officer?
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Until 5.10. 17:01
Paul McLennan
SNP
First, I thank the bill team for its help and guidance, and I thank the wider cladding team. They have been a fantastic help to me, so I express my personal ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
That concludes the debate on the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill.