Meeting of the Parliament 25 January 2023
I would like to make a brief comment about this SSI, which has to do with the increase in the additional dwelling supplement. Although Labour broadly supports the SSI, I would like to comment on the impact that it has on local authorities.
Ultimately, local authorities being liable to pay additional dwelling supplement runs contrary to our intention to increase the stock of housing available for social rent. Indeed, it is a case of one part of the public sector being levied and paying to another—it is not even that it has a cost to public finances. Those arguments were rehearsed when the matter came before the Finance and Public Administration Committee.
However, I ask the minister to reflect on that. The initiative has been consulted on, and I ask the Scottish Government to bring forward an exemption for local authorities so that they can maximise the funds that they have available for bringing housing into the social rented sector, which is particularly important for areas that have limited land for development. I ask the minister to bring forward proposals at the earliest opportunity.
17:55