Hansard

The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-13967, in the name of Gordon MacDonald, on celebrating the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership. The debate will be concluded without any question being put. I invite members who wish to participate in the debate to press their request-to-speak buttons, and I call Gordon MacDonald to open the debate—you have around seven minutes, Mr MacDonald.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament celebrates the work of the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) and its reported success in bringing almost 11,000 long-term empty properties back into use since its establishment in 2010; understands that 1,875 long-term empty homes were brought back into use in 2023-24 alone, a record annual figure for the partnership; recognises the role of the SEHP in facilitating collaborative work between Shelter Scotland, local authorities and the Scottish Government, which it understands has invested over £3.7 million in the partnership to date; notes the view that joint efforts to bring long-term empty properties back into use must continue, with over 46,000 properties reportedly still identified as empty or void across Scotland, including 7,200 in the City of Edinburgh Council area; further notes the belief that initiatives such as a reduction in VAT by the UK Government for repairs and improvements could facilitate the investment required to support households into a further 46,000 short-term unoccupied and vacant homes, whether council home voids, housing association stock awaiting repairs, or private properties lying empty; believes that SEHP’s recent milestone is a vital step towards achieving the Scottish Government’s ambition to tackle the housing emergency and provide a further 110,000 affordable homes by 2032; understands that over 131,000 social and affordable homes have been provided by Scottish National Party administrations since 2007 and that this is the highest figure per head of population in the UK; further understands that more than 21,000 homes have already been delivered against the 2032 target; highlights that over £600 million is reportedly being committed to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme in 2024-25, despite what it sees as unprecedented pressure on Scotland’s public finances as a result of rising costs and the budgetary decisions of the UK Government, and notes the calls on the UK Government to use its upcoming Budget to reverse what it sees as harmful cuts to Scotland’s capital funding allocation, to enable the Scottish Government to invest further in the provision of warm, affordable housing for all.