Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:30 pm on 2 October 2025.
Mr Mark Ruskell
Green
2:30,
2 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with residents in Tillicoultry who were evacuated from their homes two years ago when reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete was discovered. (S6O-05022)
Màiri McAllan
Scottish National Party
When residents are notified that their home may contain RAAC, it is the responsibility of individual local authorities to lead on providing advice and support to them.
Scottish Government officials have been in regular contact with all local authorities that have been impacted by RAAC to discuss progress. On 4 September, Clackmannanshire Council representatives attended the first meeting of a new RAAC in housing leadership group, which I convened and which I chair, to share best practice and expedite progress. Following my commitment to meet residents who have been affected by RAAC, my officials are in the process of agreeing an appropriate date to meet residents and Clackmannanshire Council.
Mr Mark Ruskell
Green
The owners of the flats in Tillicoultry feel bitterly let down by Clackmannanshire Council, and it is very important that they are heard. They were given barely two hours’ notice before they were evacuated from their homes by the council. In the two years since then, none of them have been allowed to re-enter their homes. Residents’ remaining possessions will probably be bulldozed into the ground along with the flats. That is a brutal way to treat people who have lost their homes. What can the Cabinet secretary do to help residents to get their remaining possessions back? Will the cabinet secretary join me in meeting residents in Tillicoultry?
Màiri McAllan
Scottish National Party
I will respond to the last part of Mark Ruskell’s questions first: yes, I shall. My officials are currently in touch with campaigners to agree to a date.
On Mark Ruskell’s question about possessions, there will be a safety issue when entering dangerous buildings, but local authorities would normally allow facilitated access. I would expect local authorities to keep those who have been affected up to date, provide them with advice and, where possible, facilitate access. I take away Mark Ruskell’s points about residents’ remaining possessions and will raise them with my officials. I will also ask that they be raised with Clackmannanshire Council.
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.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
