Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-11351, in the name of Mark Griffin, on Scotland’s housing emergency. I invite members who wish to partici...

Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Before we begin, I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which shows that I ceased to be a landlord over the summer. I am please...

John Swinney (Perthshire North) (SNP) SNP

The member rather glided past the question of economic illiteracy in the United Kingdom Government. I do not think that it helps the debate for Mr Griffin to...

Mark Griffin Lab

My colleagues at Westminster have been highlighting that economic illiteracy and will sweep that Government out of office and make changes for the better for...

Kate Forbes (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) SNP

I have some sympathy with the scale of the challenge, as I will say later in the debate. However, real leadership requires sound policies to resolve it. The ...

Mark Griffin Lab

We would build more houses. Labour’s record in Government shows that we built an average of 5,000 more houses each year in office than this Government has ma...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

You need to conclude, Mr Griffin.

Mark Griffin Lab

It is time for the Government to accept and admit that there is a housing emergency in Scotland and to support the motion. I move, That the Parliament agre...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

Thank you, Mr Griffin. I remind those who are looking to participate in the debate but who have not already done so to press their request-to-speak button. ...

The Minister for Housing (Paul McLennan) SNP

I welcome this afternoon’s debate on housing. I also thank stakeholders who have engaged with us today, whom I meet on a regular basis. The Government has t...

Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con) Con

Will the minister take an intervention?

Paul McLennan SNP

I will not at the moment, thanks. I have met many experts in the sector, and I have spoken to tenants in the private and social rented sectors. I have heard...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

Will the minister give way?

Paul McLennan SNP

I will not at the moment; I have only a limited time. Our ambition is for everyone to have a safe and affordable home that meets their needs—

Daniel Johnson Lab

Will the minister be taking any interventions?

Paul McLennan SNP

Yes, I will—if I can make progress. That is why we are making £3.5 billion available in this parliamentary session for the delivery of more affordable and s...

Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Con) Con

Will the minister give way?

Paul McLennan SNP

I will not at the moment, thanks. Scotland has seen 40 per cent more affordable homes delivered per head of population than in England and more than 70 per ...

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

Will the minister give way?

Paul McLennan SNP

I will not at the moment, thanks. We have delivered more. Let us look at the figures, which I have here. Between 1999 and 2007, 43,500 affordable homes were...

Mark Griffin Lab

Will the minister give way?

Paul McLennan SNP

I will.

Mark Griffin Lab

Social homes are clearly crucial. The figures that I gave were for all-tenure house builds. In every single year of a Labour Government, we built, on average...

Paul McLennan SNP

Government does not build private houses. We help the private sector to do that, but we do not build private houses. The Scottish Government has delivered 40...

Daniel Johnson Lab

Will the minister give way on that point?

Paul McLennan SNP

No, I have to make progress. Back in 2016, we also brought an end to the UK Government’s policy of right to buy, which took more than 500,000 homes out of t...

Stephen Kerr Con

Will the minister give way?

Paul McLennan SNP

No, thanks. Looking forward, we are committed to delivering our target of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70 per cent will be availabl...

Stephen Kerr Con

Will the member give way?

Paul McLennan SNP

No, I am not going to take—