Meeting of the Parliament 02 October 2024
I have already taken a number of interventions, so I am struggling for time.
The Government’s actions on homelessness are consistently undermined when we are forced to spend precious resources by diverting £90 million to mitigate the impact of the UK Government’s welfare cuts, including the bedroom tax. That is money that could otherwise be used to build new homes.
The Government understands the urgency of the crisis, and we are using all our powers to address it. However, it should be acknowledged that Westminster’s policies have left us grappling with an emergency that requires systemic change and investment at UK-wide level. I once again call on the Labour UK Government to use its upcoming budget to scrap the bedroom tax, reverse the 9 per cent capital cut to Scotland’s budget and permanently uplift local housing allowance.
I move amendment S6M-14719.4, to leave out from “believes” to end and insert:
“agrees that Scotland is in a housing emergency; notes the Scottish Government’s ongoing work with partners, including COSLA and the Housing to 2040 Board, on priorities in tackling the housing emergency; highlights the Scottish Government’s commitment to provide £80 million across 2024-25 and 2025-26 to support acquisitions and bring empty social homes back into use, bringing the Affordable Housing Supply Programme investment to almost £600 million this year, and its commitment to £100 million for 2,800 mid-market rent homes; welcomes the investment of £22 million in affordable housing through charitable bonds and the launch of a planning hub to improve capacity and skills; notes the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which includes key measures on preventing homelessness, including action through rent controls, and calls on the UK Government to reverse the 9% capital budget cut, to permanently uprate local housing allowance to the 30th percentile of local rents, and to scrap the so-called bedroom tax in its Autumn Budget.”
Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.