Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 25 January 2023
25 Jan 2023 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Homelessness
This is a spaghetti soup of a plan—it talks about action plans, action groups, task and finish groups, rights to a home, joined-up work and of there being no wrong door. The reality is that we have a crisis and the Government’s slick presentation of policy does not build any new homes.
To be fair, new housing has been built in my constituency, in Guardbridge, Gauldry and St Monans. However, those were the first developments of their type for some time and it hides the reality that the Government is in trouble on meeting its housing targets. I think that the minister indicated in her contribution that she is behind the pace of progress that is needed. The Scottish Federation Of Housing Associations rightly pointed out that there has been a 16 per cent cut in new builds and that, so far, only 5,000 homes are being built. We need to get to—
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-07613, in the name of Miles Briggs, on the homelessness emergency. I invite members who wish to participa...
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
It is regrettable that, once again, it is only because of Opposition debating time that Parliament is able to debate the crisis that is faced by individuals ...
Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP)
SNP
On the issue of being shamed and taking responsibility, does the member accept that the principal responsibility for armed forces veterans lies with the Unit...
Miles Briggs
Con
The responsibility for housing lies with the member’s party and the Scottish Government. That is what this debate is all about. Tragically, last year, we sa...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government (Shona Robison)
SNP
We would have thought from Miles Briggs’s speech that the Tory cost of living crisis has no impact on people’s ability to afford their home or, indeed, on th...
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
The simple question is this: why are so many people in temporary accommodation, and why are they in it for so long? We should already know the answer to that.
Shona Robison
SNP
A lot of work has been done to get underneath why people end up in temporary accommodation. There are multiple reasons for that. One reason for the increase ...
Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
For the purposes of this debate and the following debate, I draw members’ attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which shows that I am ...
Shona Robison
SNP
The member raises an important point. Does he recognise that that increase is driven, in large part, by people who are destitute but have no recourse to publ...
Mark Griffin
Lab
That is clearly an area that needs sorted. The cabinet secretary will know from her time as a member on the Social Security Committee in the previous session...
Shona Robison
SNP
Will the member take an intervention on that point?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I am afraid that he is just winding up; he is beyond his time already.
Mark Griffin
Lab
I would be happy to meet the Government again, particularly to talk about that issue. The case remains that that requires for a home to be made vacant and, ...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
This is a spaghetti soup of a plan—it talks about action plans, action groups, task and finish groups, rights to a home, joined-up work and of there being no...
Shona Robison
SNP
Will the member take an intervention on that point?
Willie Rennie
LD
I will finish my point first. We need to build 110,000 homes by 2032. It is reckoned that, by 2026, we need to build 38,000, and we are not on track for any ...
Shona Robison
SNP
The sector will also have told Willie Rennie that the key issues are Covid recovery, the cost of materials and labour, Brexit and, indeed, inflation, which i...
Willie Rennie
LD
Yes, of course, but the Government needs to build the houses or people will not get the homes, so what action will the cabinet secretary take to address that...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con)
Con
It is undeniable that we face a housing emergency. There can be no dispute that the situation has spiralled out of control under the SNP-Green Government. Si...
Shona Robison
SNP
Will Jeremy Balfour take an intervention?
Jeremy Balfour
Con
I am afraid that I do not have time.
Shona Robison
SNP
No, I bet that you do not.
Jeremy Balfour
Con
This is not a new emergency. Yet again, we have heard the cabinet secretary blaming everybody but herself and her Government. The writing has been on the wal...
Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Many will know that I have a personal interest in the topic of homelessness and a lived understanding of it and how important it is that we tackle it. I kno...
Miles Briggs
Con
Does Emma Roddick realise that both pieces of legislation had to be challenged by bodies outside the Parliament and that the Government has had to delay anot...
Emma Roddick
SNP
I think that the period of time between now and when the housing bill is introduced is exactly why emergency legislation was brought forward. It is a shame t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Ms Roddick, I ask you to bring your remarks to a close, because your time is up.
Emma Roddick
SNP
However bold and ambitious our housing policy is, Scotland is at the mercy of UK Government decisions, and that only reinforces the urgent need for independe...
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green)
Green
I begin by thanking all those people across Scotland who work day after day and night after night to prevent homelessness and support those who are at risk o...
Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
SNP
Homelessness is an issue that unfortunately affects people and families across every city, town and village in Scotland. As we heard from the cabinet secreta...