Part of Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:30 pm on 2 October 2025.
Màiri McAllan
Scottish National Party
2:30,
2 October 2025
Yes, I think that it is essential that the UK Government comes to the table on RAAC, which is present in housing throughout the United Kingdom. As Keith Brown has set out, it is present in properties that were sold under the right to buy, which far predates devolution. Moreover, the UK Government is the only Government in the UK that has the financial flexibility to respond to unexpected costs. One of my first acts in post was to write to the former Deputy prime minister, who was formerly the housing secretary. Following the UK Government’s unexpected reshuffle, I have written to the new Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to make the case for a UK-wide fund and have set out my expectation that he addresses me on that.
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 office of Deputy Prime Minister is one that has only existed occasionally in the history of the United Kingdom. Unlike analogous offices in other nations, the Deputy Prime Minister does not have any of the powers of the Prime Minister in the latter's absence and there is no presumption that the Deputy Prime Minister will succeed the Prime Minister.
The post has existed intermittently and there have been a number of disputed occasions as to whether or not the title has actually been conferred.
More from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deputy_Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
