Meeting of the Parliament 18 June 2025
I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to hear members’ reflections on the debate, and I am grateful to Liam Kerr for securing it.
I am very pleased to make my first contribution in the chamber since returning from maternity leave last week. I am also pleased that this is my first contribution as housing secretary, because we are discussing an important issue.
This has been noted, but I want to put on the record that my being appointed to this role at this time is about the Government stressing the importance that we place on housing. We are identifying the central importance of housing and how much it can contribute to our principal aims of reducing poverty, growing our economy and achieving net zero.
Having said that, and bearing in mind the importance of having a warm, safe and affordable home on a personal level, I offer my sincere sympathies to anyone whose home has been adversely affected by RAAC. I understand how worrying it can be. I put myself entirely in their shoes, and I completely understand why support is being sought and why their local members of Parliament are advocating for them.
I say very straightforwardly that, although the issues should be worked through principally between home owners, their council and Governments, I want to give what support we can.
Let me close off from the outset the issue of meeting residents. Of course I will meet residents—I would be glad to. I know some of the Torry community already—we spent an afternoon together on a matter in my previous portfolio. The only point that I make is that they recently met my colleague the former housing minister, alongside Liam Kerr and Audrey Nicoll, as was mentioned. I say that so that I can—