General Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 6 June 2024.
Bob Doris
Scottish National Party
To ask the Scottish Government how it is investing in affordable homes within Glasgow, including within the Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn Constituency, to help address any housing need. (S6O-03547)
Alison Johnstone
Green
I ask the Minister for a concise response.
Paul McLennan
Scottish National Party
The Scottish Government has made £328 million of funding available to Glasgow for investment in affordable housing over the first years of the current session of Parliament, and a further £78.6 million has been allocated for 2024-25. From that funding, £26.8 million is planned for investment over the same period in the Maryhill and Springburn Constituency. That investment will provide an additional 455 homes for Maryhill and Springburn communities.
Bob Doris
Scottish National Party
NG Homes, in my Constituency, is seeking to develop innovative ways to bring void properties back into use as affordable homes, including 25 void tenement properties at Stonyhurst Street in Possilpark, which will be a challenge over several years.
Will the Minister meet me and NG Homes to discuss the company’s ideas regarding innovation around void properties more generally, perhaps in Possilpark itself, in order to see both the challenges and opportunities that are presented at sites such as Stonyhurst Street?
Paul McLennan
Scottish National Party
I am aware that NG Homes has already engaged with Glasgow City Council, which manages the affordable supply programme in Glasgow through the transfer of management development fund. The council has agreed to provide funding to undertake a feasibility study to consider options for redevelopment of the pre-1919 tenement buildings. That study is now under way and, on its completion, the council will meet with NG Homes to consider the next steps.
Over the summer, I am planning to meet all the registered social landlords that operate in Glasgow and will be happy to discuss the plans with them.
Alison Johnstone
Green
That concludes general questions.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
In a general election, each Constituency chooses an MP to represent them. MPs have a responsibility to represnt the views of the Constituency in the House of Commons. There are 650 Constituencies, and thus 650 MPs. A citizen of a Constituency is known as a Constituent
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