Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:30 pm on 3 April 2025.
Murdo Fraser
Conservative
2:30,
3 April 2025
I apologise for being a few minutes late for the start of the session, Presiding Officer.
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to increase house building. (S6O-04540)
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
We are progressing a series of strategic and targeted actions to support the delivery of more homes at pace, with a particular focus on unlocking stalled sites and providing brokerage. Good progress is being made across the 23 actions in the Government’s “Planning and the Housing Emergency—Delivery Plan”, and we are working in close collaboration with industry and other stakeholders.
The 2025-26 budget includes £768 million for the affordable housing supply programme, helping to tackle the housing emergency and contributing towards our target of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032. Since 2007, we have supported the delivery of more than 136,000 affordable homes.
Murdo Fraser
Conservative
The statistics do not paint an impressive picture. Starts and completions are down for the third successive year, private sector starts are at their lowest level since 2013 and we have a cumulative shortfall of more than 100,000 homes since 2008. The industry body Homes for Scotland says that “urgent action” is required on planning and regulatory reform to try to progress matters. It has raised the issue that, four months on from the Scottish Government announcing a housing planning hub, there have been no tangible outcomes to date. When will progress be made?
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
A matter of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of participating in the housing to 2040 strategic board meeting, where I had the opportunity to discuss the planning hub with Homes for Scotland and other members of the board. At that time, we talked about the work that has been done under the leadership of the chief planner, particularly on stalled sites and brokerage, which is already paying dividends. As the member will be aware, the planning hub also has a responsibility for and focus on offshore wind. However, we are moving forward with work on stalled sites and brokerage.
We are working with Homes for Scotland on individual sites to ensure that, where something can be done, it is being done. I point the member to the number of planning applications that have been passed but for which the sites are not being built on. We are working with Homes for Scotland to understand that because, when a planning application has been passed, it is preferable if it is built out, for the private development and for the affordable homes that will be attached to it.
Colin Beattie
Scottish National Party
I am pleased that, under the Scottish National Party Government, almost 137,000 social and affordable homes have been completed across Scotland, leading the way in the United Kingdom on the provision of warm, safe homes. Can the Minister confirm how many such homes have been completed in Midlothian?
Craig Hoy
Conservative
Has someone written his question for him?
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
I am sure that Craig Hoy will be delighted by the answer, if he is interested in it—because he did not appear to be interested in the question.
From 2007 to the end of December 2024, the affordable housing supply programme helped to support the delivery of 3,532 completions across Midlothian, of which 70 per cent were for social rent.
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Colin Beattie’s Constituency to meet tenants and to meet Wheatley Homes East to discuss the new development at Rosewell. It is a fantastic example of the investment that the Government has put through charitable bonds, and further developments are taking place there. The development is a high-quality scheme that was provided by that registered social landlord. I was pleased to meet the tenants, who are enjoying their new homes in the member’s constituency.
Willie Rennie
Liberal Democrat
The big decline in new starts and completions is a clear indication that the previous leadership and policy on housing was part of the problem.
I have lodged some constructive amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill to encourage investment in housing. They are designed to accelerate house building during the housing emergency. Is the Cabinet secretary open to supporting those amendments?
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
The member knows that I am always happy to meet him to discuss his amendments and the other proposals that he has made on housing. I thank him for the constructive way in which we have had those discussions to date.
I assure him that the Minister for Housing and I are taking a very close interest in the amendments that have been lodged. I would be happy to meet the member to continue those discussions, ahead of the votes in the committee on the bill. I would be very happy if, not only on those amendments but in the wider context of the housing emergency, we could share the endeavour across the chamber to find solutions.
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