Meeting of the Parliament 17 March 2026 [Draft]
I will start my short remarks by popping in the intervention that I hoped to make on Willie Rennie. I hope that he will join me in my calls for an adjustment to the fiscal framework to remove the ridiculous limits on the Scottish Government’s capital borrowing powers, because that is a fundamental aspect of being able to improve our infrastructure.
Given the volume of legislation that we have to get through this evening, I intend to make only a few brief remarks. I join those members who have stated that the decision that we make today will have real consequences for home owners, the housing market and our collective responsibility to keep people safe in their homes. That is fundamental.
I have been heartened by the fact that members from across the parties have engaged constructively. Even where there has been disagreement, we share a commitment to ensuring that homes in Scotland are safe, secure and fit for purpose.
It is a pity that the levy has not emerged from a Scottish policy design process. It has been foisted on us by the UK Government’s decisions on building safety funding and the UK-wide levy framework. That said, regardless of whether we agree with the framework, Scotland must respond, because doing nothing would risk leaving home owners and local authorities without the mechanisms that are needed for remediation.
I agree that the uncertainty that many home owners have been required to live with must have been extremely difficult. We cannot lose sight of the human stories behind that—there has been not just uncertainty but financial worry and a loss of confidence in what should be their safest space: their home. Whatever the disagreements about funding, the need to complete remediation is unquestionable, and I fully accept that it will cost billions over a multitude of years.
Through my role on the committee and having heard the debate, I recognise the concerns of members, developers and the wider housing sector. It is fair to recognise that the current market faces rising costs, tightening supply chains and pressures on affordability. Introducing a levy at this moment is therefore not ideal, and I think that the Government recognises that. I recognise and accept that the Government will monitor and mitigate any unintended consequences on supply and affordability.
To that end, I thank the minister for the Government’s acceptance of my amendment 15. First-time buyers already face significant barriers, and it would have been unfair for the levy to have created further obstacles. I am grateful to colleagues and the minister for ensuring that fairness is at the centre of the legislation.
The Parliament did not choose the circumstances that surround the levy, but we can choose a responsible response. With safeguards secured and a commitment to monitoring impact, we can take a step that protects home owners, advances cladding remediation and avoids, where possible, undue burdens on those who enter the housing market.
I will, therefore, support the bill, and I urge all colleagues to do the same.