Scottish Parliament, 2 October 2024

303 contributions from 57 members. The official report.

Portfolio Question Time

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is portfolio question time. The first portfolio is rural affairs, land reform and islands. As ever, any member who wishes to ask a supplementary question should press their request-to-speak button during the relevant question.

Question number 1 has not been lodged.

Alex Rowley (Labour, Mid Scotland and Fife)

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether any further action is required to address reported concerns around the environmental, sustainability and welfare impacts of farmed salmon. (S6O-03782)

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

We have in place robust legislation, policies and operational practices to ensure that farmers are meeting statutory requirements related to the environment, sustainability and welfare, such as sea lice reporting and management, mortality reporting and listed disease surveillance.

It is important to recognise that Scotland’s salmon industry is a significant contributor to our economy, particularly in rural and island communities. It produces high-quality nutritious products with a lower carbon footprint than many other sources of farmed protein.

It is also important to highlight our document “Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture”, which sets out how we will support the development of our aquaculture industry to operate within environmental limits and deliver social and economic benefits for Scotland.

Alex Rowley (Labour, Mid Scotland and Fife)

As the cabinet secretary is no doubt aware, there have been long-standing concerns about the welfare and environmental impact of farmed salmon. Those have included on-going reports of mass fish deaths on salmon farms, the increasing impact of sea lice on those farms and increased use of chemicals and antibiotics to combat the levels of disease. Is the Scottish Government not concerned that continual reports of disease-ridden farms have potential to ruin the global reputation of Scottish salmon? What more could and should be done about that issue?

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

I recognise some of the concerns that Mr Rowley raises, and I completely understand wider public concern about fish health and mortality. However, to touch on one example that was used recently, misinformation was reported in relation to what happened in advance of a visit to a fish farm by members of a Parliament committee last week. That misrepresentation of some of the issues shows a lack of understanding of some operations. Notwithstanding that, Mr Rowley raises really important issues.

It is important to mention our work on the back of the Griggs review and its recommendations. Fish health and welfare is of paramount importance, and we continually strive to improve that. That is a key pillar in our “Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture”, which we published last year. We want to see improvements in fish health and welfare. I know that the industry is committed to doing that and to reducing mortalities to the lowest possible levels.

We continue to engage in discussions with industry and our regulators. More widely, I chair the Scottish Aquaculture Council—

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

Briefly.

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

—which brings together a range of different bodies to try to address some of those issues.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

I have a couple of supplementary questions from members. They will need to be brief, as will the responses.

Colin Beattie (Scottish National Party, Midlothian North and Musselburgh)

Will the cabinet secretary tell members how many jobs the finfish aquaculture industry supports in rural Scotland? Will she also set out some of the detail of the economic importance of the industry nationally and in rural and island communities?

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

It is important to recognise the significant economic contribution that our fish farming sector makes to our rural economy and Scotland’s economy more widely. The overall figures show that the industry was worth £1.2 billion at farm-gate prices in 2022. It employs more than 12,000 people throughout the supply chain; it also provides well-paid jobs in some of our most rural communities and in our island communities. The industry makes a significant economic contribution.

Edward Mountain (Conservative, Highlands and Islands)

I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am a proprietor of a wild salmon fishery on the east coast of Scotland, where there are no fish farms.

We heard this morning in committee that mortality in salmon farms has been around 20 to 25 per cent, but it is somewhat better this year because of colder seas. Given that the industry seems to be predicting a 2 per cent drop in mortality, how long should it be before the industry should consider whether expansion is right until it has fish mortality under control?

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

It is important to remember that a range of different issues contribute to fish mortality. I know that the industry would be committed to driving that to the lowest possible levels, as we are. We expect producers to drive it to the lowest possible levels because it is not in anyone’s interests to see high mortality, whether from a fish health and welfare perspective or from an economic perspective.

I know the challenges that we are seeing. The industry invests quite a lot in research, innovation and development to tackle them. As we recognise in our “Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture”, investment in innovation will be critical to our ability to address the challenges that we see in relation to climate change and other issues.

Clare Adamson (Scottish National Party, Motherwell and Wishaw)

I apologise for being late to the chamber.

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what assessment it has made of the impact of Brexit on Scotland’s food and drink sector. (S6O-03783)

Jim Fairlie (Scottish National Party, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire)

The easy answer is that it has been very bad. The food and drink sector has undoubtedly borne the brunt of Brexit, which has disrupted supply chains, created new trade barriers and driven up food prices.

The value of food imports from the European Union into Scotland fell by 13 per cent in 2023 compared with 2019. That slowdown is particularly acute for fruit and vegetable imports, which are down 51 per cent, and for fish and seafood imports, which are down 67 per cent. Many Scottish food industries are also suffering from lower exports to the EU, including a 45 per cent fall in the value of fruit and vegetable exports between 2019 and 2023.

Clare Adamson (Scottish National Party, Motherwell and Wishaw)

The Association of Independent Meat Suppliers—AIMS—has warned that failures in

“veterinary oversight and inaccuracies in certification processes are leaving UK businesses ‘at risk of economic loss, waste and an increasingly unmanageable burden of bureaucracy’.”

We know that the way back to the full benefits of the EU is with independence, but the Tories promised fewer trade barriers, no diminution of food standards and lower costs, while Labour remained silent on Brexit.

Does the minister agree that the United Kingdom Government must seek a new deal with the EU that reflects the wishes of the people of Scotland and gives us the benefits that are enjoyed by our Northern Ireland counterparts?

Jim Fairlie (Scottish National Party, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire)

I absolutely agree, and the Scottish National Party is the only party in Scotland to advocate for rejoining the EU, not least to remove the harms from Brexit, such as the one that Clare Adamson has highlighted.

The new immigration rules have imposed a minimum salary for veterinarians, who now require skilled worker visas. That obviously adds costs and will potentially impact on recruitment.

Although we continue to work across the Government, we also continue to call for negotiation between the EU and the UK on a veterinary and sanitary and phytosanitary agreement, which would remove many Brexit barriers and, therefore, benefit our businesses and consumers. It is our view that any such agreement should be comprehensive—it should be broad and deep—because that would offer the most benefits for Scotland. Indeed, one study undertaken by Aston University estimates that such an agreement could increase agri-food exports from the UK to the EU by at least 22.5 per cent.

However, it is vital that devolved Governments are central to any negotiations. Therefore, as always, we stand ready to work collaboratively to achieve the best possible results for Scottish consumers and businesses. I hope that the UK Government is minded to do the same.

Tim Eagle (Conservative, Highlands and Islands)

I alert members to my entry in the register of members’ interests as a small farmer.

I do not think that it is helpful to continue to talk about the negatives of Brexit when we are coming up on 10 years since the vote. Last year, a Quality Meat Scotland report revealed that red meat exports had, in fact, reached a new high of £93 million, 95 per cent of which were export revenues that were generated in the EU market. However, QMS warned in the report that those sales were being limited by reduced abattoir provision in Scotland.

Instead of talking down Brexit all the time, will the cabinet secretary and minister now take action to fix the abattoir shortage in Scotland?

Jim Fairlie (Scottish National Party, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire)

I am afraid that I am not buying that at all. Tim Eagle talks about there having been no damage to the food and drink sector in Scotland, when it has been catastrophic.

On our ability to ensure that the Scottish abattoir sector continues to work, we are already looking at that, as the Deputy Presiding Officer knows. However, there are huge issues involved. Tim Eagle talks about abattoir provision when we cannot get vets to come here from Europe because of new, Brexit-imposed wage restrictions. I am sorry, but I do not buy his point at all.

Fergus Ewing (Scottish National Party, Inverness and Nairn)

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase funding to enable more trees of commercial species to be planted in Scotland. (S6O-03784)

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

Despite the pressures on the Scottish Government’s budget, nearly £40 million is available this year to support the planting of a wide range of woodland. The planting of timber-producing species is an important part of that balance and normally represents around half of the new planting in Scotland. Productive species also make up 60 per cent of the restocking that is supported by the forestry grant scheme. Although we are not able to increase funding this year for tree planting, we have introduced flexibility to adjust grant contributions so that existing funding is spread across more projects and enables the planting of more productive species.

Fergus Ewing (Scottish National Party, Inverness and Nairn)

The cabinet secretary will know that our sawmills and panel products businesses contribute £1 billion a year to the economy and provide 25,000 jobs. They can do far more, because we import more timber than any country in the world except China. However, without a continuous, regular and guaranteed steady supply of commercial species, those businesses’ future is in question.

If the minister wants to know where the money can come from to spend more on trees, I suggest that she takes it from rewilding and peatland restoration of dubious value and that she avoids throwing further millions of pounds on futile attempts to avoid the extinction of the capercaillie, which is surely already the most expensive bird in world avian history.

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

The member has made a few points that I will try to touch on. There is no getting around the fact—I have been quite transparent about this—that, with the budget that we have for tree planting this year, we are absolutely not in the place that we would want to be, especially when we have been on such a good trajectory on levels of tree planting in Scotland, with 15,000 hectares planted in the previous year. We had a target of 18,000 hectares for this year, which, unfortunately, we will not be able to meet with the available funding. However, that is largely down to the massive cuts that we have received from the United Kingdom Government. There is a 10 per cent cut to our capital budgets overall, which means that we are restricted in what we can do.

The member touched on a lot of other areas. On peatland restoration, our peatland is responsible for about 15 per cent of our emissions, so the funding that we put into developing the industry to restore our peatlands is vitally important. It is also important that we maximise the budget that we have and get as many trees in the ground as possible with what is available.

Finlay Carson (Conservative, Galloway and West Dumfries)

Scotland’s forestry sector achieved record tree planting last year, but budget cuts will limit new woodland creation to around 10,000 hectares this year. At that level, the sector advises that jobs and industry confidence will be lost and that the infrastructure for planting will shrink, consigning Scotland to years of failure. Given the sector’s £1.1 billion annual contribution to Scotland’s economy, will the Scottish Government provide the £10.5 million of additional funding that is needed to prevent long-term industry damage?

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

I covered that point in my opening response. If that funding is to come from the budget in-year, I would like some suggestions from the member as to where it could come from, because right now we simply do not have it. However, the important point is that teams in Scottish Forestry are undertaking work this year to maximise the tree planting that we can undertake with the resources that we have available. We are trying to be as flexible as possible within that and ensure that we make the best of the budgets that we have.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

Question 5 is from James Dornan, who joins us remotely.

James Dornan (Scottish National Party, Glasgow Cathcart)

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with the United Kingdom Government, since the general election, regarding the potential impact on Scotland’s food and drink sector of the reported proposal for “not for EU” labelling on food and drink products in the UK. (S6O-03785)

Jim Fairlie (Scottish National Party, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire)

Since the general election, officials have been meeting regularly with UK Government officials to discuss their plans for the proposed Great Britain-wide “not for EU” labelling. I am pleased that the Government appears to be taking a more measured and evidence-based approach to that labelling. The cabinet secretary and I are keen to work together to develop a proportionate and workable solution to address some of the concerns around the free flow of goods into Northern Ireland.

James Dornan (Scottish National Party, Glasgow Cathcart)

I welcome the discussions that are taking place between both Governments. Labelling is a wholly devolved matter and policy decisions in that space should rest with Scotland’s democratically elected Government. GB-wide labelling proposals are merely another assault on Scotland’s devolved political settlement, although I obviously welcome the abandonment of the scheme. Scrapping Tory schemes aside, does the minister have any further indications that the Labour Government intends to act differently from its predecessor and respect this Parliament and Scotland’s Government?

Jim Fairlie (Scottish National Party, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire)

The Scottish Government has made clear its commitment to working collaboratively with the UK Government in order to achieve better outcomes for Scotland. We are working constructively with the UK Government on areas of common ground, such as helping the economy grow and transition to net zero, in a way that respects devolution and all the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

The cabinet secretary and I were in London a few weeks ago to meet Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies from the Welsh Government, and Andrew Muir from the Northern Irish Government. We had a very positive and constructive discussion, which was based on mutual respect for devolved competencies and a much closer, more collegiate working relationship. We hope that that becomes the norm.

Willie Coffey (Scottish National Party, Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley)

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds on the availability and prominence of Scottish food and drink produce in supermarkets operating in Scotland. (S6O-03786)

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

Market data suggests that, in 2023, there were sales of £541 million on Scottish brands in supermarkets, with independent consumer insights commissioned by Scotland Food & Drink highlighting that Scottish consumers want to buy more Scottish products. That is why we have committed more than £10 million over the course of 2023 to 2025 to support the delivery of Scotland’s food and drink strategy, “Sustaining Scotland. Supplying the World.” That strategy contains a number of actions to increase local sourcing and get more of our quality products on supermarket shelves so that we can continue to ensure that consumers increasingly have easier access to Scottish products.

Willie Coffey (Scottish National Party, Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley)

The cabinet secretary will be aware of some of the finest products that are available in my constituency and across Ayrshire, including Dunlop cheese, Darvel Dexter beef, Ayrshire Riviera cider, Lochlea whisky and, of course, the world-famous Kilmarnock pie. However, not all of those products can be found on our supermarket shelves. Aldi, which has the highest overall percentage of Scottish products at 49 per cent, and Lidl, with 100 per cent Scottish lamb, are the standouts. However, our friends at Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s all appear to have less than 10 per cent Scottish products on their shelves.

Does the cabinet secretary agree that we should all be united in calling on supermarkets to back Scotland’s food producers and buy Scotland’s produce so that consumers can, in turn, do the same and enjoy our wonderful food and drink from every part of Scotland?

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

Absolutely. I could not agree more with Willie Coffey’s point. Some of the facts that he mentioned relate to the important work that is undertaken by NFU Scotland and its shelf watch campaign. I believe that we are waiting on the results of the most recent iteration of the work that it has undertaken.

Retailers know that people want to buy Scottish. We are seeing more campaigns in retail settings that are providing leading positioning in store and marketing opportunities for more Scottish products than ever. I also emphasise the work that we are undertaking to make that as easy as possible for people and to increase those opportunities. We are working with the Scottish Wholesale Association and the Scottish Grocers Federation to increase sales through wholesale and convenience channels. We also host regional sourcing Scotland meet the buyer events to ensure that we link up our retailers and some of the fantastic Scottish products that we have available. That work will very much continue.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

I call Brian Whittle. Please be brief, Mr Whittle.

Brian Whittle (Conservative, South Scotland)

Willie Coffey highlighted some of the fantastic small and artisan producers that we have in East Ayrshire, and we have such producers across Scotland. The cabinet secretary mentioned the amazing support from our wholesalers. However, what can the Scottish Government do to help those businesses to scale up and ensure that they have access to supermarket shelves?

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

Please answer as briefly as possible, cabinet secretary.

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

I re-emphasise the work that I have already mentioned. I appreciate the point that Brian Whittle makes. We want to see more Scottish products on shelves in all sizes of stores across Scotland. The go local programme is about ensuring that we have local products in convenience stores. I also touched on the meet the buyer events, which are really important as they link up some of our producers with retailers. Through investing in that work and ensuring that we build those relationships, we hope to see more local produce on our shelves.

Patrick Harvie (Green, Glasgow)

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reported concerns that the licensing scheme introduced by the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 is acting as a loophole in the fox hunting ban. (S6O-03787)

Jim Fairlie (Scottish National Party, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire)

The licensing scheme in the 2023 act is not a loophole. The use of more than two dogs is strictly controlled under licence for specified purposes—in particular, the protection of livestock. All licence applications are scrutinised by NatureScot and, where licences are granted, both NatureScot and Police Scotland must be notified before any activity commences. NatureScot has carried out a number of visits to ensure that any activity that is undertaken is strictly in accordance with the licence. It is currently carrying out a planned review of the licensing scheme, and we will consider the findings and take any further action as required.

Patrick Harvie (Green, Glasgow)

Parliament has voted repeatedly, over many years, in favour of ending fox hunting in Scotland. In the most recent legislation, which was intended to close the loopholes that have been used by those who continue to perpetrate that cruel practice, a licensing regime was introduced that was intended to be for exceptional purposes. The Scottish Government’s position was that fox hunting should have no place in a modern Scotland. With 41 licences having been issued in the first hunting season since the 2023 act came into force, is it not clear that we simply do not have the rigorous enforcement of the legislation that we need? Will the Scottish Government ensure that, in the future, a great deal more rigour is applied?

Jim Fairlie (Scottish National Party, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire)

I simply disagree with Mr Harvie’s characterisation of the situation. Fox hunting is absolutely against the principles of the people of Scotland, but predator control is not. Hunting with more than two dogs is licensed in specific circumstances to make sure that farm managers and landowners can protect the livestock and the wildlife in their area.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

I will call a couple of members to ask supplementary questions, but they will need to be brief, as will the responses.

Emma Harper (Scottish National Party, South Scotland)

Criminal activity against wildlife must be pursued, and there is a straightforward way for concerned parties to do that. However, in rural areas such as Dumfries and Galloway, it is crucial that farmers, conservationists and land managers have access to methods of species management and predator control. Does the minister agree, and will he reaffirm, that that will remain the Scottish Government’s position?

Jim Fairlie (Scottish National Party, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire)

I absolutely agree that the Scottish Government’s position is to allow predator control as we go forward.

Rachael Hamilton (Conservative, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire)

No wonder the Scottish National Party dumped its hapless coalition with the Greens. Patrick Harvie and his colleagues passed the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023, which ensured a licensed approach. Furthermore, NatureScot has strengthened the licensing process, making it more difficult for packs to get a licence. Will the minister confirm how many times the licence conditions have been broken?

Jim Fairlie (Scottish National Party, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire)

At this moment, to my knowledge, there have been none.

Jamie Greene (Conservative, West Scotland)

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the first statutory national islands plan, published in 2019, has been a success. (S6O-03788)

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

The implementation of the first national islands plan has faced a succession of crises since its introduction, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the on-going cost crisis and the full effects of Brexit. However, significant policy efforts and investments have been delivered across Government to drive progress towards the strategic objectives of the plan. We know that more remains to be done to address islands’ priorities and to help them to fulfil their ambitions. That is why we have announced that a new plan will be published next year, and we will continue to be guided by islanders to inform its content.

Jamie Greene (Conservative, West Scotland)

The answer to the question is no. It has not been a success. The minister has given a litany of excuses as to why the plan has not provided better outcomes for islands. We all know the reality that life in island communities is difficult, but it has simply got worse with regard to the availability and affordability of housing; access to health, social care and education; the growth of businesses; and depopulation, and that is not to mention the F-word—the continuous chaos on our ferry network. What hope can we give islanders from this, their national Parliament, that the next national islands plan will be worth more than the paper it is written on?

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

I know that the Tories would like to brush away all the key issues that I have mentioned, some of which they were largely responsible for, let alone the massive cuts to our budgets that we have seen over previous years. That is why this Government is committed to delivering for our islands. As I set out, after a consultation last year, we committed to publishing a new national islands plan, which will be based on what our islanders see as important and will be driven by the objectives that they want to address. We will also set out how the Government will deliver across those objectives. We look forward to the process of developing that plan and working with our islanders as we do it.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

Again, brevity will be required for both supplementary questions.

Katy (Labour, West Scotland)

My office is contacted almost daily about problems with the ferry service. For example, yesterday, a constituent phoned about a service that was diverted to Troon and about the conditions on board. Does the cabinet secretary agree that the Government’s handling of the ferry crisis has undermined the strategic goals of its national islands plan?

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

I recognise that our infrastructure—whether it is our transport infrastructure, housing or other matters—is critical to our islands and the people who live on them. On the particular points about ferries, if the member would like to raise any issues, I ask her to raise them with the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, who will respond to her.

The member’s question indicates why the development of the national islands plan is so important. The plan considers all the issues that matter to our islanders and sets out how the Government will address them in the coming years. We also publish how we are performing against those objectives every year. I look forward to members feeding into that process.

Emma Roddick (Scottish National Party, Highlands and Islands)

The islands plan discusses improving the quality of life for island communities. Will the cabinet secretary give some concrete examples of how the Scottish National Party has done that since the plan’s publication? Will she also remind members of the impacts of Tory austerity and the Tory cost of living crisis on our island communities? [Interruption.] Tory members are complaining, but that is the legacy of the Tories in the islands.

Mairi Gougeon (Scottish National Party, Angus North and Mearns)

Austerity has undoubtedly had a huge impact, not least with the 10 per cent cut to our capital budgets. In spite of that, we have continued to deliver an islands programme that has delivered 61 different projects across 50 different islands with more than £12 million of funding. We are set to announce shortly the outcome of the most recent applications to that programme, in which a further £3 million-worth of investment is planned.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

That concludes portfolio questions on rural affairs and islands. Before we move on to the next portfolio, there will be a brief pause to allow front benchers to change positions.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

The next portfolio is health and social care. Any member who wishes to ask a supplementary should press their request-to-speak button during the relevant question. Brevity would be appreciated, given the number of supplementaries that have already been indicated.

Fulton MacGregor (Scottish National Party, Coatbridge and Chryston)

To ask the Scottish Government what support is in place to help newly qualified paramedics find suitable employment. (S6O-03789)

Neil Gray (Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts)

The Scottish Government is committed to attracting a diverse workforce into national health service employment and hugely values the role of our paramedics, who provide effective, person-centred care for the people of Scotland. We work closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service to set annual numbers for the university student intake programme for people who wish to study to become paramedics.

Overall responsibility for the recruitment of newly qualified paramedics rests with the Scottish Ambulance Service. We continue to work with SAS to explore how the role of a paramedic can be utilised more widely in the healthcare system to improve patient care in areas of high demand.

Fulton MacGregor (Scottish National Party, Coatbridge and Chryston)

I have been contacted by a constituent who graduated with a distinction in their paramedical science degree. They are now a registered paramedic and were informed that they had a job with the Scottish Ambulance Service after passing the interview. Despite that, my constituent advised that the closest job posting that they were offered would involve an unmanageable daily commute. They were then advised that, if they did not accept that remote posting, their application would be void and they would have to reapply for a position next year.

What support can the Scottish Government give to paramedics who do not receive a posting offer close to their home?

Neil Gray (Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts)

I thank Fulton MacGregor for bringing that issue to the chamber. I commend his constituent on their progress and I obviously sympathise with them about their situation.

As autonomous institutions, health boards are responsible for their own recruitment activity. The Scottish Government is not directly involved in such recruitment plans and processes.

The Scottish Ambulance Service remains committed to maximising the opportunities for newly qualified paramedics to find employment. We continue to support it in that endeavour, and paramedic numbers are up by 46.9 per cent in the past 10 years. Although it is hoped that all graduates will be able to join SAS in their chosen location upon graduation, that is not always possible, as vacancies in each area can fluctuate significantly each year, depending on factors such as local retention and absence rates.

Jackie Baillie (Labour, Dumbarton)

Ambulance technicians who want to train as paramedics are unable to access training places due to a lack of funding. What steps will the cabinet secretary take to make it easier for technicians to retrain as paramedics, especially given that paramedic vacancies have been steadily increasing since 2016?

Neil Gray (Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts)

I will take away Jackie Baillie’s point and consider it. As I pointed out to Fulton MacGregor, the number of paramedic places has gone up by 46.9 per cent, and the number of ambulance technicians has gone up by 32.4 per cent in the same period. The Scottish Ambulance Service’s resource budget also increased by 29.9 per cent in real terms between 2010-11 and 2024-25. However, I will take away the point that Jackie Baillie has raised to see whether there is more that we can do.

Lorna Slater (Green, Lothian)

To ask the Scottish Government how many alcohol-related deaths were reported in the Lothian region in the last year for which data is available. (S6O-03790)

Jenni Minto (Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute)

The number of alcohol-specific deaths in 2023 was published by National Records of Scotland on 10 September 2024. In the NHS Lothian health board area, there were 163 alcohol-specific deaths in 2023—an increase of 10 deaths from the 153 deaths that were reported in 2022.

Lorna Slater (Green, Lothian)

I am sure that the minister will agree that that is too many.

In the most recent Scottish budget, the Scottish Greens secured a commitment that the Scottish Government would consider the reintroduction of a public health supplement, which would be a small surcharge on the non-domestic rates for large retailers that sell alcohol and tobacco, in recognition of the harm that those products can cause and the cost to the public purse of treating those harms. Research by the Fraser of Allander Institute that was commissioned by Alcohol Focus Scotland has found that a public health levy could raise approximately £57 million of additional funding for public services. Does the minister agree that we cannot pass up the chance to invest tens of millions of pounds more in addiction services through a public health levy?

Jenni Minto (Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute)

I agree with Lorna Slater that one death due to alcohol is one too many, and I send my sincerest heartfelt apologies to the families who have been impacted by those deaths.

A public health levy is still under consideration by the Scottish Government, and I point out that the minimum unit price of alcohol has increased this week.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

A number of members would like to ask supplementary questions. I will try to get in as many as I can, but brevity will be required.

Clare Adamson (Scottish National Party, Motherwell and Wishaw)

Will the minister provide further information on the implementation of the minimum unit price increase and how it is anticipated that it will help to reduce alcohol harm?

Jenni Minto (Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute)

The Scottish Government has engaged broadly with key business associations and retailer groups to ensure maximum awareness of the minimum unit price of alcohol increasing to 65p from 30 September. We have collaborated with trade bodies and industry representatives to produce a variety of materials for retailers to use in their stores to inform customers and raise awareness of the price increase. We have also co-funded guidance for retailers that has been produced by the Scottish Grocers Federation.

Our business and regulatory impact assessment, which was published earlier this year and was based on modelling that was undertaken by the University of Sheffield, set out that, in the first year of the policy, the number of deaths from all causes was estimated to reduce by 60, compared with the control group with the MUP continuing at the same level in real terms when adjusted for inflation.

Sue Webber (Conservative, Lothian)

The decision to close NHS Lothian’s life-saving alcohol-related brain damage unit has been paused while options are assessed. There is no other specific ARBD residential rehab unit in Scotland, and evidence shows that the treatment for people with ARBD in non-specialist units is often unsatisfactory.

On 4 July, the Scottish Government requested clarification on the function of the service to allow it to be reclassified as a specialist rehabilitation unit. That information has been provided—

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

Question.

Sue Webber (Conservative, Lothian)

—but no response has been received. Minister, do you agree that the reclassification is crucial for funding, and will you seek to determine what is preventing the life-saving service from being assessed as a rehabilitation unit?

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

Speak through the chair.

Jenni Minto (Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute)

Sue Webber asked me a question on that issue a couple of weeks ago. I recognise that we are still waiting for a response, so I am very happy to engage with officials to understand the delays before getting back to her.

Carol Mochan (Labour, South Scotland)

The minister will know that people in the most deprived areas are seven times more likely to end up in hospital due to alcohol-related conditions and that certain hospitals serve a disproportionate number of such areas. Is anything being done to provide extra support for those hospitals, specifically for accident and emergency departments, which are reportedly dealing with an increase in the number of people presenting who are at risk from serious alcohol harms?

Jenni Minto (Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute)

I thank Carol Mochan for the question. I do not have specific information on that, but I remind the member that alcohol and drug partnerships have had record levels of funding this year. I will respond to the member’s question in writing.

Craig Hoy (Conservative, South Scotland)

Everyone cares about alcohol deaths, and given the significant work of organisations such as the Portman Group and Community Alcohol Partnerships, which support local partnerships that reduce alcohol harm, particularly among children and young people, will the minister and the Government commit to listening carefully to the real concerns of the industry as it consults on new measures to restrict alcohol marketing and sponsorship?

Jenni Minto (Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute)

As part of any consultation process, the Government is clear that we need to consult and engage with business as well as stakeholders, and that will be being done with regard to the issue.

Karen Adam (Scottish National Party, Banffshire and Buchan Coast)

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support neurodivergent people, in light of reports of people waiting years for diagnosis, and subsequent access to support and treatment, which is seriously impacting their lives. (S6O-03791)

Maree Todd (Scottish National Party, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross)

There have been significant increases in the number of neurodivergent people seeking a diagnosis and requiring support. Although that creates challenges for a range of services, we also recognise how important a diagnosis and support can be.

We are working closely with national health service health boards and local authorities to improve services and support for neurodivergent people. In 2021, we published a national neurodevelopmental specification, which sets out the standards that all children’s services should follow to ensure that access to support is effective and consistent across Scotland, supported by funding including £1 million for tests of change.

Neurodivergent children and young people also benefit from the £15 million per annum that is provided to local authorities for community-based supports and the £120 million that is provided to NHS boards under the enhanced mental health outcomes framework.

Karen Adam (Scottish National Party, Banffshire and Buchan Coast)

I thank the minister for that answer. There have been reports that some people are waiting for more than four years for diagnosis of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and many of those who are undiagnosed or are waiting for treatment are struggling with school and employment. Has the Scottish Government considered providing a fast-track to diagnosis and access to treatment following diagnosis? Can the Scottish Government also please give an update on pauses to treatment as a result of medicine shortages?

Maree Todd (Scottish National Party, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross)

We want patients to get the help that they need when they need it, and we understand how important a timely ADHD or autism diagnosis is for individuals. We also recognise the pressure that services face, given the rapid but welcome gains in awareness. That is why we continue to fund and work with the national autism implementation team, to support health and social care partnerships and to consider best practice and improved service in the redesigning of neurodevelopmental diagnostic services.

We would expect employers or schools to explore with individuals what adjustments are appropriate, as formal diagnosis is not required for educational adjustments or for disabled people to receive support through the access to work programme.

The supply of medicines is reserved to the United Kingdom Government. Information that has been provided by the UK Government indicates that some of the ADHD medicine supply issues will continue into winter 2024. The shortages are caused by a combination of manufacturing issues and an increase in demand. Anyone who is affected should speak directly to their clinical team.

Daniel Johnson (Labour, Edinburgh Southern)

There is information on things such as diet, exercise and sleep that can help, whether or not people get a diagnosis. What information can be extended to people so that they can wait well?

Maree Todd (Scottish National Party, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross)

The member is absolutely correct. We regularly talk about the fact that support and adjustments should be possible without a diagnosis. The whole improvement that is possible in the individual does not require a diagnosis to be in place. We invest a great deal in community support to make sure that those adjustments are easily accessible to people who suspect that they have a neurodivergent diagnosis. A diagnosis is not needed to access healthcare in Scotland.

Alexander Stewart (Conservative, Mid Scotland and Fife)

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that diagnostic pathways in Scotland are appropriate for those affected by brain tumours. (S6O-03792)

Jenni Minto (Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute)

We know that diagnosing brain cancer can be challenging, as symptoms are wide ranging and often vague. We continue to work with primary care to ensure that it has direct access to diagnostic tests and quality education sources. A clinical review of the Scottish referral guidelines for suspected cancer is under way and a new national headache referral pathway has been published to ensure that the right patient is on the right pathway at the right time.

We are opening another rapid cancer diagnostic service in 2024-25, bringing our national total to six. These services are ruling cancer in or out faster for those with non-specific symptoms, supporting our early cancer diagnosis vision.

Alexander Stewart (Conservative, Mid Scotland and Fife)

I thank the minister for that response. What steps is the Scottish Government taking to ensure general practitioners’ access to imaging—specifically computed tomography head imaging for those with non-specific symptoms that are suspected to be symptoms of cancer, such as a brain tumour? Are those steps being regularly monitored to ensure that the pathway is utilised efficiently and effectively?

Jenni Minto (Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute)

That is exactly the reason why the rapid cancer diagnostic services have been set up, and that is exactly the pathway that I expect to be followed.

Foysol Choudhury (Labour, Lothian)

In March, I hosted a members’ business debate to mark brain tumour awareness month. Many members highlighted the need for greater research to improve the outcomes for those living with brain tumours. I welcomed the announcement of the establishment of the Scottish Brain Tumour Research centre of excellence in July. Has the Scottish Government engaged with the centre since its launch, and how does it plan to support the research into the most aggressive form of brain cancer?

Jenni Minto (Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute)

Yes, the Scottish Government engages regularly with the Brain Tumour Research centre. I, too, met Brain Tumour Research in September, and it was agreed that it would send to the chief scientist office a funding proposal to support brain tumour research in Scotland. I am looking forward to that. I believe that we have the inaugural meeting of the cross-party group on brain tumours next week, and I hope to see Mr Choudhury at that meeting.

Sharon Dowey (Conservative, South Scotland)

To ask the Scottish Government what compensation is available for any families that are paying for private urgent dental treatment due to delays in accessing national health service treatment. (S6O-03793)

Jenni Minto (Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute)

In primary care dental services, when a patient is registered for NHS dental services and has an urgent dental problem, they should be seen as soon as possible by their NHS dental practice and treated in line with their clinical priority. Unregistered patients are able to access urgent and emergency care via public dental service clinics.

In common with the whole of NHS care provision, there is no compensation available when patients choose to seek healthcare privately.

Sharon Dowey (Conservative, South Scotland)

I thank the minister for that answer. A constituent in my region was told that her daughter had a severe dental condition that required urgent orthodontic treatment in hospital. There, they were told that there would be an 18-month wait, as there was no consultant available to carry out treatment. They were left with no choice but to seek treatment privately because there was a risk that her daughter could, if left untreated, lose all her front teeth, which would have a lifelong impact.

The treatment would normally be funded through the NHS but, because there was no consultant available, a private route had to be sought. What steps is the Government taking to address consultant shortages in NHS dental services, particularly in Ayrshire and Arran?

Jenni Minto (Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute)

This summer, I visited the dental hospital in Glasgow and had exactly that conversation with people there. The Scottish Government is supporting NHS boards to drive improvements in secondary care waiting times, and we are targeting resources to ensure that people who are waiting the longest are treated as soon as possible.

We are also driving improvements in children’s oral health, through our flagship childsmile programme. I recognise that that programme is on the prevention side and that that is not directly what Sharon Dowey asked about. However, we are working closely with NHS boards to ensure that they are making the most efficient use of their surgeries and clinical time to reduce waiting lists in order to improve the dental care that young families are getting.

Katy (Labour, West Scotland)

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to NHS Ayrshire and Arran, in light of reports that the health board requires over £85 million to cover the cost of backdated repairs. (S6O-03794)

Neil Gray (Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts)

The Scottish Government is working with all health boards to develop a whole-system infrastructure plan. In the context of a very challenging financial position, that is a positive and practical approach that will support the continued safe operation of existing facilities as well as the determination of longer-term investment priorities.

Katy (Labour, West Scotland)

Arran war memorial hospital requires more than £1.2 million of repairs; for Ayrshire central hospital, the figure is more than £6 million; for University hospital Crosshouse, it is more than £32 million; for Ailsa hospital, it is more than £10 million; for University hospital Ayr, it is more than £16 million; and, for Townhead surgery, it is almost £700,000. The list goes on.

Does the cabinet secretary agree that the deteriorating state of national health service buildings has a negative impact on quality of care?

Neil Gray (Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts)

I would like to see an improved situation in the capital position for the NHS and investment in our infrastructure, partly for the reasons that Katy Clark outlined. She will be well aware of the infrastructure investment review that is going on across Government, and I am doing what I can within my portfolio to ensure prioritisation of capital investment. That would be much easier if we had capital investment coming from the United Kingdom Government as well, rather than what we have at the moment, which is a proposal for a near 9 per cent cut in our capital provision—£1.3 billion less—which will not help us to fix our NHS estate.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

Brian Whittle has a very brief supplementary question.

Brian Whittle (Conservative, South Scotland)

One of the biggest problems in the NHS in relation to capital projects is that we still do not have a basic technology platform that enables countrywide adoption of artificial intelligence and technology.

What is the Scottish Government doing to enable swift adoption of technology and to give healthcare professionals the tools that they need to tackle the backlog?

Neil Gray (Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts)

That was very gracious of you, Presiding Officer.

We are embarking on work. With regard to the reform and improvement work that needs to be done across the NHS, it is a priority of mine that we apply innovation better to our health service. That is how we will see continued improvement. The chief scientist office is leading on that, including the accelerated national innovation adoption—ANIA—pathway, which is about having once-for-Scotland adoption of good innovation practice. I would be happy to refer Mr Whittle to that work.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

I commend your adaptability, Mr Gray.

Mark Griffin (Labour, Central Scotland)

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish revised modelling to show any impact of delays to the opening of the remaining national treatment centres on bringing down waiting lists, as outlined in its national health service recovery plan. (S6O-03795)

Neil Gray (Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts)

The national treatment centres that are in operation—at Highland, Fife, the national eye centre and the new surgical centre at NHS Golden Jubilee, and NTC Forth Valley, which will begin treating patients this month—will provide around 20,000 additional procedures a year.

I have acknowledged that that is less than the full NTC programme that was set out in the NHS recovery plan. New health capital projects are currently subject to review, including the five planned NTCs that are not currently in construction.

Therefore, we are investing the resources that are available to us now to deliver additional activity. This year’s £30 million additional investment in waiting times is projected to deliver more than 60,000 additional appointments and procedures, with significant additional activity already under way.

Mark Griffin (Labour, Central Scotland)

In 2021, the then First Minister promised Cumbernauld a new national treatment centre, but there has been no sign of it since. The cabinet secretary will know that waiting lists for in-patient and day cases stand at 11,500 in NHS Lanarkshire, with 2,500 of those people having been waiting more than a year. When will the Government make good on its promise for a national treatment centre for Cumbernauld and Lanarkshire?

Neil Gray (Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts)

I am pleased to report that, as part of our investment in waiting times finance, the latest figures show that NHS in-patient and day-case activity has increased: in-patient and day-case activity for quarter 2 was the highest since the start of the pandemic. That was the 10th quarterly increase in a row, with 65,106 patients being seen in quarter 2, which is up by 1.6 per cent on the previous quarter and by 9.9 per cent on quarter 2 last year.

I say to Mark Griffin, as I did to Katy Clark, that it will be much easier for us to invest in capital projects in the health service and across the rest of Government if, in the budget at the end of October, there is investment in capital, in our public services, in our people and in our economy, rather than what we see in newspaper reports, which is the Treasury asking Whitehall departments for capital savings. That continued austerity will harm our health service.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

I will take a supplementary question, if it is brief and the response is likewise.

Clare Haughey (Scottish National Party, Rutherglen)

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I hold an NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde bank-nurse contract.

The national treatment centres are playing a key role in bringing down waiting lists in Scotland, but it is of considerable concern that the opening of new centres has been delayed as a result of the United Kingdom Government’s cut to Scotland’s capital budget. Will the cabinet secretary join me in calling on Labour members in the chamber to join us and press their colleagues at Westminster to reverse that cut as a priority, so that that work can be progressed?

Neil Gray (Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts)

I thank Clare Haughey for her question, and yes—I will join her.

She is absolutely right that the national treatment centres that are in operation are making a difference, as is the investment that we are making in waiting times. However, the capital funding position is extremely challenging. There is to be an expected 8.7 per cent real-terms cut to our UK capital budget in the medium term, which is because the Labour Party at Westminster is following Tory spending plans. That is a cumulative loss of more than £1.3 billion.

Ahead of the budget this month, I urge the UK Government to reflect on Lord Darzi’s findings and the previous calls from this Government, and organisations including the International Monetary Fund, to prioritise investment in infrastructure and public services. We need that to happen.

Rachael Hamilton (Conservative, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire)

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of locums in local mental health services. (S6O-03796)

Maree Todd (Scottish National Party, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross)

The use of temporary staff in an organisation as large and complex as NHS Scotland will always be required to ensure vital service provision during times of unplanned absence, sickness and increased unforeseen activity.

It is critical that we seek to secure the best value whenever we deliver mental health services within NHS Scotland, allowing us to maximise the impact that our investment has on the quality and availability of patient care. We are working with colleagues across NHS Scotland to explore how we can reduce our reliance on agency staffing for nursing and medical staff.

Rachael Hamilton (Conservative, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire)

I thank Maree Todd for that answer, but a freedom of information request revealed that the cost of agency locums in the Borders has tripled in the past three years and reached more than £7 million in 2022-23. Furthermore, locums make up up to a third of the consultant psychiatrist workforce in the Borders, with 75 per cent not holding their certificate of completion of training. That is concerning and precarious. Why has the Scottish National Party Government chosen to decimate mental health services for my Borders constituents?

Maree Todd (Scottish National Party, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross)

The context is that there is a global shortage of psychiatrists. I recognise that although things are improving in many areas of Scotland, there are challenges in recruiting to particular areas. My area in Highland is being impacted in the same way as the Borders.

It is undoubtedly more difficult to recruit to particular geographical areas and to particular specialties in psychiatry—for example, learning disability psychiatrists are fewer and farther between. We have in place the medical locum engagement task and finish group, which is co-chaired by the NHS Fife chief executive and the Scottish Government’s director of health workforce. That has been established to ensure appropriate locum usage across NHS Scotland. That task and finish group is exploring the case for a set of identified interventions.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

Very briefly, we will hear Paul Sweeney.

Paul Sweeney (Labour, Glasgow)

Health boards in Scotland spent £30 million on locum psychiatrists in 2022. Will the minister confirm whether she thinks that expenditure is best value for money, and say how much was spent on locum psychiatrists in the past financial year?

Maree Todd (Scottish National Party, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross)

I would need to get back in writing to the member on the second part of that question.

As I said at the beginning of my answer, there is no doubt that, in an organisation as large and complex as NHS Scotland, it is appropriate to hire temporary staff at times. Hiring temporary staff is a better outcome than having the service delivery fail entirely. We need to work towards having more locum psychiatrists employed in permanent full-time posts. I hear time and again from people who are accessing mental health care that they would like continuity of care, so I assure the member that we are working towards that in Scotland.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

That concludes portfolio questions on health and social care.

Business Motions

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-14742, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill timetable and suspension and variations of standing orders. I invite Jamie Hepburn to move the motion.

Motion moved,

That, subject to the Parliament’s agreement to the general principles of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill, the Parliament agrees, for the purposes of further consideration of the Bill, that—

(a) consideration of the Bill at stage 2 be completed by Tuesday 29 October 2024;

(b) Stage 3 proceedings take place on Tuesday 5 November 2024;

(c) Rule 9.5.3A be suspended;

(d) Rule 9.5.3B be suspended;

(e) Rule 9.6.3A be suspended;

(f) Rule 9.7.8A be suspended;

(g) Rule 9.7.8B be suspended;

(h) Rule 9.7.9 be suspended;

(i) Rule 9.7.9A be suspended;

(j) Rule 9.10.2 be varied to replace the words “fourth sitting” where they first appear with “sixth”, so that the deadline for lodging a stage 2 amendment will be the sixth day before proceedings; and

(k) Rule 9.10.2A be varied to replace the word “fifth” where it first appears with “second”, so that the deadline for lodging a stage 3 amendment will be the second sitting day before proceedings.—[Jamie Hepburn]

Motion agreed to.

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-14732, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme. I invite Jamie Hepburn to move the motion.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees—

(a) the following programme of business—

Tuesday 8 October 2024

2.00 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Topical Questions (if selected)

followed by Scottish Government Debate: Challenge Poverty Week

followed by Committee Announcements

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members’ Business

Wednesday 9 October 2024

2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.00 pm Portfolio Questions: Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, and Parliamentary Business; Justice and Home Affairs

followed by Scottish Green Party Business

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)

5.10 pm Decision Time

followed by Members’ Business

Thursday 10 October 2024

11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions

11.40 am General Questions

12.00 pm First Minister's Questions

followed by Members’ Business

2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.30 pm Portfolio Questions: Education and Skills

followed by Stage 1 Debate: Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

Tuesday 29 October 2024

2.00 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Topical Questions (if selected)

followed by Scottish Government Business

followed by Committee Announcements

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members’ Business

Wednesday 30 October 2024

2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.00 pm Portfolio Questions: Deputy First Minister Responsibilities, Economy and Gaelic; Finance and Local Government

followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)

5.10 pm Decision Time

followed by Members’ Business

Thursday 31 October 2024

11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions

11.40 am General Questions

12.00 pm First Minister's Questions

followed by Members’ Business

2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.30 pm Portfolio Questions: Net Zero and Energy, and Transport

followed by Finance and Public Administration Committee Debate: Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

(b) that, for the purposes of Portfolio Questions in the week beginning 7 October 2024, in rule 13.7.3, after the word “except” the words “to the extent to which the Presiding Officer considers that the questions are on the same or similar subject matter or” are inserted.—[Jamie Hepburn]

Motion agreed to.

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The next item of business is consideration of business motions S6M-14733 and S6M-14734, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on stage 2 timetables for bills. I invite the minister to move the motions.

Motions moved,

That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill at stage 2 be completed by 11 October 2024.

That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill at stage 2 be completed by 15 November 2024.—[Jamie Hepburn]

Motions agreed to.

Housing Emergency

Annabelle Ewing (Scottish National Party, Cowdenbeath)

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-14719, in the name of Anas Sarwar, on the housing emergency. I invite members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request-to-speak button.

Anas Sarwar (Labour, Glasgow)

Scotland is in the midst of a housing crisis the likes of which we have never seen before. After repeated calls, for months, for a housing emergency to be declared, the Government was finally shamed into declaring one on 15 May, in a debate that was brought to the chamber by Scottish Labour.

The declaration of a housing emergency after 17 years of the Scottish National Party Government was a significant moment, and it signalled our collective understanding of the need to act to tackle the crisis. However, the simple fact is that words are cheap. What really matters is what the Government does to tackle the housing crisis, not what it says in the chamber.

The sad reality is that the Government’s track record on tackling the housing emergency is woeful. This afternoon, people on the Labour and Government benches will trade numbers and statistics, but we should never forget in the heat of the debate what those numbers represent. They are young mothers raising their families in temporary accommodation without a promise of a home. They are Scotland’s most vulnerable people, who have nothing but a sleeping bag to their name and who are exposed to the cold nights of winter and the dangers of life on the street. They are young children who have no home to call their own and who are spending their childhood moving from hostel to bed and breakfast. We should never forget that.

Let us look at the facts of the Government’s record on housing and homelessness. On the Government’s watch, we have had more than 40,000 applications for homelessness support made in the past year; that is the highest number in a decade. Shamefully, we now have record numbers of children in temporary accommodation, without a home to call their own. That is more than 10,000 children who are left homeless on the Scottish National Party Government’s watch.

At the same time, the number of young people living in bed and breakfasts has soared by more than 900 per cent in only the past three years. That is shameful. There have been 704,000 breaches of the Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order in 2023-24. That number has almost doubled during the past year. There have been 7,915 instances where households requiring temporary accommodation have not been offered temporary accommodation by local authorities. That is 17 times higher than last year—17 times higher in a single year.

The SNP’s record on house building is arguably even worse. House building has fallen off a cliff, with the worst yearly number of starts on record. There were 19,293 homes completed in the year to end June 2024, which is a decrease of 4,003—or 17 per cent—compared with the previous year. In the year to the end of June 2024, the number of completions and starts as part of the affordable housing supply programme was down by 14 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, compared with the year before.

Keith Brown (Scottish National Party, Clackmannanshire and Dunblane)

Will the member take an intervention?

Christine Grahame (Scottish National Party, Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale)

Will the member take an intervention?

Anas Sarwar (Labour, Glasgow)

Yes.

Annabelle Ewing (Scottish National Party, Cowdenbeath)

From which member is Mr Sarwar taking an intervention?

Anas Sarwar (Labour, Glasgow)

Keith Brown.

Christine Grahame (Scottish National Party, Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale)

Oh!

Keith Brown (Scottish National Party, Clackmannanshire and Dunblane)

Good choice. Mr Sarwar will understand that part of what constitutes affordability—as well as rent and mortgage costs—is energy costs, which increased by 10 per cent as a result of Labour’s decision yesterday. However, Labour also has figures that say that around 400 people will die in the UK from the decision to withdraw winter fuel allowance. How many of those deaths will happen in Scotland as a result of Labour’s decision?

Anas Sarwar (Labour, Glasgow)

I remind Mr Brown that the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets sets energy pricing in the country. That is why we have to reform our energy market, and that is what the Labour Government is getting to grips with.

What I would say to Mr Brown is this: is he counting the number of people who are dying on our streets because of homelessness? All they have is a sleeping bag. Is he counting the number of people who are dying in temporary accommodation without a home to call their own? Instead, there is always somebody else to blame. Instead, the SNP is always pointing fingers somewhere else rather than taking responsibility for its own record.

To demonstrate that Ms Grahame will have a more sensible question than Mr Brown, I will take the intervention from Ms Grahame.

Christine Grahame (Scottish National Party, Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale)

I certainly hope so. Does the member agree with me that the impact of Brexit on construction costs and on the availability of construction workers has had an impact on house building throughout the United Kingdom?

Anas Sarwar (Labour, Glasgow)

Absolutely. That is why we have to reset the relationship with the European Union and fix the mess that is Brexit, which was left by the previous Tory Government. However, that does not explain why we have had 17 years of failure and levels of home building that are the lowest since Margaret Thatcher.

I will go back to what I was saying about the social sector. The social sector built 5,053 homes in the year ending June 2024, which is down 25 per cent on the previous year. The number of completions for all sectors was the lowest since June 2018 and the number of starts was the lowest since June 2013, in both the social and the private sectors.

Under the SNP Government, housing association new-build numbers are at the lowest levels since Margaret Thatcher, and the Government is miles off track from meeting its own affordable house building target. Under the SNP Government, fewer homes are being built, targets are being missed on a yearly basis and homelessness is on the rise. Every number is a human being in need of help and every missed target is the breaking of dreams, hopes and aspirations. However, when the full extent of the housing and homelessness crisis in Scotland was revealed, housing minister Paul McLennan told STV News that the SNP Government has “a good track record” on preventing homelessness. Really? Is that the best that we can do? Frankly, that response was inept and shameful.

Yesterday, Mr McLennan stated that the SNP Government was pulling out all the stops on the issue—that is the same SNP Government that cut £196 million from the housing budget, cheered on by every member on the SNP benches. It is simply wrong for him to attempt to spin that away or, as per usual, not think about the human cost of the SNP’s decisions. Fellow Scots are sleeping rough with nowhere to go—some families in housing and more in hostels and B and Bs—but that is symptomatic of an SNP Government that is completely out of touch with reality. This is a Government that never faces up to its own record and instead tries to deflect blame on to others.

When Scotland is revealed to be in a housing and homelessness emergency, the minister says that Government has “a good track record”. When one in six Scots is revealed to be on national health service waiting lists and accident and emergency is revealed to be in disarray, the health secretary says that there is no crisis and that the Government has a good track record. When alcohol and drug deaths are on the rise, what does the minister say? Nothing to see here—the Government has a good track record and the plan is working. When our education system was plunged into chaos and Scotland slid down the international league tables, what did the minister say? Scotland’s education system was never that good anyway, the SNP Government has a good track record and its plan is working.

Scotland deserves so much better than this out-of-touch SNP Government that is failing Scotland day after day after day. Frankly, its ministers are embarrassing, its performance is inept and the Government’s record is nothing but shameful and woeful. From housing to the economy, from the NHS to our schools, this SNP Government is taking Scotland in the wrong direction. Housing is entirely devolved.

Shirley-Anne Somerville (Scottish National Party, Dunfermline)

I would like to clarify something with Anas Sarwar—would he agree with me that the £90 million that we currently spend as a Government to mitigate the effect of the bedroom tax would be better used to deliver the 700 new-build homes that it could otherwise be spent on? Would he join me in agreeing that the bedroom tax should be scrapped?

Anas Sarwar (Labour, Glasgow)

First, I will need to educate the cabinet secretary on the difference between revenue and capital, because she clearly does not understand that. Secondly, we wanted the devolution of powers around welfare because we wanted the ability to make different decisions here in Scotland. That is what we argued for and that is what we got.

Housing is entirely devolved, and the responsibility for this crisis lies squarely with this SNP Government, this SNP cabinet secretary and this SNP housing minister. There is nowhere to hide and no one else to blame. This is the price that the people of Scotland are paying for an SNP Government that John Swinney himself admitted has been focused on what it cannot do rather than on what it can do.

That is why it is time for a new approach and a new direction—

Tom Arthur (Scottish National Party, Renfrewshire South)

Will the member take an intervention?

Anas Sarwar (Labour, Glasgow)

I have taken three or four interventions already.

Accepting that the housing emergency exists is only the first step in ending the crisis. We need new ideas and new leadership. We need an approach that promotes investment and makes Scotland an attractive place to invest in housing. We need to ensure that legislation that is designed to protect renters and home owners does not inadvertently chase away new investment. We need a new partnership and an understanding between the Scottish Government, local authorities, housing associations, the private sector and the third sector. We need joined-up working to deliver the new affordable and social homes that Scotland so desperately needs.

We need action to retrofit existing homes to make them fit for the future and to fix up derelict homes so that they can be safe for families to thrive in. We need an end to the idea that a housing policy that works for Edinburgh will automatically work for the Highlands, the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway or the Western Isles. Local communities know best about how to tackle the housing crisis in their own areas and they should not be overlooked.

We need an end to the politics of the press release and the meaningless target. Instead, it is time for politics that is about outcomes, not empty promises; a politics of delivery, not delusion, as we see from members on the SNP benches; and a politics that puts the needs of the country before the needs of the ruling party.

Everyone in the chamber has a solemn duty to work day and night to look after the most vulnerable in our society. On this vital issue, we cannot let issues of personal or party loyalty cloud our judgment. That is why this is not a debate about the constitution, and it should not even be a debate about party politics: the debate should be about the young man who will walk the dark streets of Glasgow tonight in search of a warm doorway in which to try to sleep, hoping that the mere and meagre possessions that he still has will be there when he wakes up. It is about the young mother living with her children in temporary accommodation who has to tell her children every night that they will have their own home one day. It is about the child who will do their homework tonight not in a home of their own but on a small desk in a hostel bedroom. We can, and we must, do better than that.

The right to housing is a fundamental human right, as recognised by the United Nations. In 2024 in Scotland, that fundamental human right is unavailable to thousands of our most vulnerable people. The crisis is not inevitable: it is the direct result of Government action and its inaction. To allow the situation to persist would be to bury our heads in the sand and allow some of our most vulnerable to weather the storm alone. It does not have to be that way. Scots should not have to wait a single day more for the Government to wake up to the housing crisis, change course and act to help those in need.

In closing, we have a chance to put the needs of the people of Scotland front and centre; to stand up for all those who find themselves without a home to call their own; and to stand up for all those for whom the dream of home ownership is currently just that—a dream. The Government has failed to act to tackle the housing emergency. That is not good enough. The failure must end. Scotland deserves better.

I move,

That the Parliament believes that the Scottish Government has failed to respond adequately to the housing emergency that the Parliament declared in May 2024.

Paul McLennan (Scottish National Party, East Lothian)

I welcome the debate. First, I will address one of Mr Sarwar’s main points. He talked about new ideas, but he did not have any new ideas whatsoever, and he did not talk about how to pay for them, which is fundamental. If the member is going to talk about new ideas, he should bring them forward, as well as ideas for how we should pay for them in the budget. I am happy to have discussions with the member or Mr Griffin on that point.

There has been a great deal of activity since the previous debate on housing in May, in recognition of the challenges that our housing sector faces. I continue to take full responsibility for the Government’s response and I will not shy away from that. That is why I was pleased to update the Parliament on some of the activity in my statement yesterday, including the announcement of new investment of £22 million for affordable housing. I do not doubt in any way, shape or form that the challenges that we face are significant, but we are responding with a clear and urgent plan across three pillars: first, the need for high quality, permanent homes; secondly, ensuring that we have the right homes in the right places; and thirdly, addressing homelessness.

I will talk about the delivery of affordable housing. Of course, the cornerstone of our efforts is our commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with 70 per cent of those for social rent. That is a direct response to the growing demand for secure and affordable housing.

Achieving the target was made more difficult by rising inflation and by Brexit, which has been mentioned. I know that the member is talking about a reset for Brexit, but we need to rejoin the European Union to make sure that we get those benefits. Labour will not do that—it has already come out and said that. A reset will not be enough.

That has driven up the cost of materials. If the member speaks to developers, they will tell him that. They are still facing the same problems, but those problems are getting worse, and Brexit has an impact on that.

Although I recognise that Opposition members might prefer us not to draw attention to the impact of Tory or Labour UK Government decisions, there is an area that the UK Government must take responsibility for, which I will come on to in a little second.

There is no hiding the serious impact that those aspects are having on housing and homelessness levels not just in Scotland but across the UK. Some of the biggest issues in that regard are Brexit, the cost of living and inflation. In fact, Barratt Developments, which is the biggest home builder in the UK, said that Brexit and the cost of living were the main reasons why its home starts and completions had dropped.

Daniel Johnson (Labour, Edinburgh Southern)

The minister and I have been in the same meetings. Is he seriously telling me that the industry is not naming the Housing (Scotland) Bill as the single biggest impediment to getting investment? That is what it is telling me, and I bet that it is what it is telling him, too.

Paul McLennan (Scottish National Party, East Lothian)

First, I have been in a number of meetings with Daniel Johnson. One of the key things that we have said is that we would introduce amendments to the bill, and Mr Johnson knows that.

Secondly, that was a direct quote from Barratt on what is having the biggest impact across the UK. Inflation and interest rates are the biggest barriers that it faces at the moment.

Despite those challenges, by the end of June 2024, we have still delivered 22,743 homes towards our target. Seventy-six per cent of those are for social rent. It is estimated that 3,000 households with children were helped into affordable housing in the year to June, and half—

Craig Hoy (Conservative, South Scotland)

Will the minister will take an intervention?

Paul McLennan (Scottish National Party, East Lothian)

I will.

Craig Hoy (Conservative, South Scotland)

The minister said that he is taking the issue seriously and that he is making progress, yet, in his constituency, 353 people were in temporary accommodation and nearly 800 people applied for homelessness last year, which is an increase of 13 per cent on the previous year. It was his Government that slashed the housing budget last year. Will the minister tell Parliament what happened when he was told that his housing budget was going to be slashed? Did he oppose it, did he threaten to resign, or did he simply capitulate so that he could keep taking his pay cheque when people in his constituency were searching to put a roof over their heads?

Paul McLennan (Scottish National Party, East Lothian)

I am not going to take any lessons in financial management from the member. The biggest cut that we had last year was a 9 per cent capital cut from the UK Government. I never heard anything from Tory members, including Mr Hoy, about that.

The biggest cut that we suffered in our budget was a 62 per cent cut to our financial transactions budget. As Mr Hoy knows, I meet local authorities, including East Lothian Council, to talk about that issue.

As I was saying, on the homes that we delivered, more than 3,000 households with children were helped into affordable housing this year into June, and half of Scotland’s local authorities have reduced the number of children in temporary accommodation in the past year.

The biggest challenges that we face are in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fife, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian. That is why we targeted funding, and I will come on to that.

Mr Sarwar mentioned affordable homes in rural areas. Between 2017 and 2023, we have delivered more than 10,000 affordable homes. The challenge that we need to face is not just in urban parts of Scotland but in rural parts of Scotland. We recognise that we need to do more.

We are taking radical action to address the acute challenge of building homes and the significant gap in Scotland's capital budget. We are taking action to bring investment into housing through the housing investment task force, which was established in April, which is before the housing emergency was declared.

The Scottish Government has committed £100 million as a basis to grow that, with institutional investment, to at least £500 million to support the construction of around 2,800 mid-market-rent homes. Yesterday, I announced a further investment of £22 million in affordable housing through our charitable bond programme. The programme enabled an additional investment of £71 million into our programme last year, supporting the delivery of more than 600 social rented homes.

I come back to Mr Hoy’s point. Despite Westminster cutting financial transactions funding by 62 per cent since 2022, that is an example of how we can make a real difference in people’s lives when we have the necessary levers.

It comes back to sharing responsibility, Mr Sarwar. [ Interruption .] It is about taking responsibility. The UK Government has an opportunity in three or four weeks to reinstitute the funding that has been cut by 62 per cent. That would make a massive difference in terms of what we are trying to do. Labour should be taking on the responsibility of speaking to its Chancellor of the Exchequer.

On planning, in June we issued a call for action on the housing emergency to planning authorities. The Government expects an emergency-led focus in decision making on plans and applications. Our national planning framework has minimum housing figures, and I look for them to be exceeded in plans as they come forward locally. The Minister for Public Finance and the chief planner have also made it clear that developments by small and medium-sized enterprise house builders are part of the solution to the emergency, particularly in rural areas and on brownfield sites.

Following the consultation earlier this year, we will bring forward a series of actions to increase resources and capacity in planning services. I am delighted that we have now established Scotland’s first-ever planning hub, which is an innovative way for planning authorities to access additional resources to make faster decisions.

Having a warm, safe place to call home is a foundation of family life and a direct contributor to tackling poverty. We know that the best way to end homelessness is to prevent it. The proposed homelessness duties in the Housing (Scotland) Bill will support the transition to a system that is based on shared public responsibility, early intervention and, of course, more choice and control.

It is really important that in this debate we do not forget about the prevention duties. I urge people to talk about that. The Government remains committed to delivering a robust system of rent controls and tenants protections throughout that bill. Those measures, coupled with homelessness prevention duties, will ensure the affordability of housing costs and improve tenants’ rights.

Paul Sweeney (Labour, Glasgow)

Will the minister take an intervention?

Ben Macpherson (Scottish National Party, Edinburgh Northern and Leith)

Will the minister give way?

Paul McLennan (Scottish National Party, East Lothian)

I have already taken a number of interventions, so I am struggling for time.

The Government’s actions on homelessness are consistently undermined when we are forced to spend precious resources by diverting £90 million to mitigate the impact of the UK Government’s welfare cuts, including the bedroom tax. That is money that could otherwise be used to build new homes.

The Government understands the urgency of the crisis, and we are using all our powers to address it. However, it should be acknowledged that Westminster’s policies have left us grappling with an emergency that requires systemic change and investment at UK-wide level. I once again call on the Labour UK Government to use its upcoming budget to scrap the bedroom tax, reverse the 9 per cent capital cut to Scotland’s budget and permanently uplift local housing allowance.

I move amendment S6M-14719.4, to leave out from “believes” to end and insert:

“agrees that Scotland is in a housing emergency; notes the Scottish Government’s ongoing work with partners, including COSLA and the Housing to 2040 Board, on priorities in tackling the housing emergency; highlights the Scottish Government’s commitment to provide £80 million across 2024-25 and 2025-26 to support acquisitions and bring empty social homes back into use, bringing the Affordable Housing Supply Programme investment to almost £600 million this year, and its commitment to £100 million for 2,800 mid-market rent homes; welcomes the investment of £22 million in affordable housing through charitable bonds and the launch of a planning hub to improve capacity and skills; notes the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which includes key measures on preventing homelessness, including action through rent controls, and calls on the UK Government to reverse the 9% capital budget cut, to permanently uprate local housing allowance to the 30th percentile of local rents, and to scrap the so-called bedroom tax in its Autumn Budget.”

Annabelle Ewing (Scottish National Party, Cowdenbeath)

Thank you, minister. I call Miles Briggs to speak to and move amendment S6M-14719.2.

Miles Briggs (Conservative, Lothian)

I thank the Labour Party for using its debating time to debate the motion on the housing emergency. I also thank the organisations that have provided helpful briefings ahead of the debate.

At the election in 2021, every party in this chamber signed up to work to end rough sleeping in Scotland by the end of this parliamentary session. However, that goal is now further away than ever, with the latest statistics showing a significant increase. In 2022-23, there were 450 incidences in which local authorities were unable to offer temporary accommodation. In the space of the past year, that has soared to 7,915 occasions. Indeed, the Salvation Army has questioned the accuracy of those reported numbers—it thinks that the total is higher and that the situation is much worse on the ground.

However, these are not just statistics. As Anas Sarwar said, these are our friends, our neighbours and, in some cases, our family members.

On Monday evening, I walked along Princes Street here in the capital and witnessed people setting up tents for the night in shop doorways. As a Lothian MSP, I know from trying to assist constituents and from the organisations that work with people who are experiencing homelessness that the situation is getting worse, but solutions are also becoming more limited. Where I live in Edinburgh, I have witnessed people setting up tents in graveyards. The capital is at the epicentre of the housing emergency in Scotland. We need a new approach, and we need the situation to be treated as an emergency by ministers now.

Paul McLennan (Scottish National Party, East Lothian)

Will the member take an intervention?

Miles Briggs (Conservative, Lothian)

I will if I can get some time back.

Annabelle Ewing (Scottish National Party, Cowdenbeath)

There is no time in hand. It is up to the member whether he takes an intervention.

Miles Briggs (Conservative, Lothian)

I will if it is very brief.

Paul McLennan (Scottish National Party, East Lothian)

Will the member acknowledge his Government’s decision to cut the capital budget by 9 per cent, to cut the financial transactions budget by 62 per cent and to freeze local housing allowance? Will he also acknowledge that the way in which it dealt with asylum-seeker dispersal has made an impact in Edinburgh and other parts of Scotland?

Miles Briggs (Conservative, Lothian)

This debate is about the Scottish Government taking responsibility. The fact that ministers were dragged to the chamber to do that at the previous debate on this topic tells us everything that we need to know about the Scottish Government’s record on the matter.

As Anas Sarwar said, we have just heard words from the Government—we have not seen action. The Scottish Government might have declared a housing emergency, but we have not seen an emergency response from the Scottish Government. I do not think that even the Scottish Government’s greatest cheerleaders would say that what we have seen from ministers to date is anywhere close to the response that we need. Instead, we have a situation that is getting worse. It is clear that, without action, homelessness levels across our country will increase further.

Since 2019, the Scottish Government has set up 10 homelessness working groups: the homelessness prevention and strategy group, the homelessness ministerial oversight group, the homelessness temporary accommodation standards framework working group, the temporary accommodation task and finish group, the homelessness prevention task and finish group, the measuring progress—ironically—task and finish group, the rapid rehousing transition plans sub-group, the Scotland prevention review group, the homelessness and rough sleeping action group and the youth homelessness prevention pathway. I do not question ministers’ hopes that those groups would deliver, but they have not. Ministers need to be honest that they have failed and that things are getting worse on their watch.

Fundamentally, that is because local authorities are not delivering and cannot deliver their statutory duties. Ministers say that local authorities must play their role, but that entirely misses the point. Local authorities have no options left. There are no more former B and Bs and guest houses—they are all now full. We need a plan, and we need ministers to lead on delivering it. I welcome the fact that the sector has made some really important emergency response proposals to the Government. The minister should be driving forward those actions now.

Every empty council home and social housing property should have been audited and a return-to-use plan should have been developed by now. There are 3,000 empty properties here in the capital alone. We need to urgently build the homes that Scotland needs. The data on home completions points to a fundamental collapse in the housing sector, and we need that to be turned around. Homes for Scotland says that the housing and homelessness figures underline the collapse in house building, and that that is having devastating consequences. Speak to any home builder and they will tell you that the planning and consenting processes are the biggest inhibitor of housing delivery in all tenures.

We need an urgent review of national planning framework 4 and council planning policy. Ministers have ignored the concerns that have been expressed about land supply. It was simply not good enough for the minister to say yesterday that planning responsibilities sit with Ivan McKee. In March, the former UK Conservative Government started work on proposals to introduce a new accelerated planning service. We need that in Scotland, as well.

Paul Sweeney (Labour, Glasgow)

Does the member agree that the 10-year wait for compulsory sale orders is completely unacceptable?

Miles Briggs (Conservative, Lothian)

I do, and we have not seen any progress from ministers on that, either.

The minister has an opportunity to lead by example and demonstrate that he can actually make things happen. If I was in the minister’s shoes, I would undertake an urgent review of planning policy during the October recess and return to the Parliament in November with Scottish statutory instruments that can help to address those concerns.

Ministers need to accept that they have been responsible for creating many of the problems that we face today. Their only answer to the ever-growing housing and homelessness emergency now appears to be the wholly misguided rent cap and proposed rent control policy, which have resulted in much-needed housing developments being put on hold as well as inflicting eye-watering rent increases on tenants and resulting in new tenants being completely priced out of the market. Ministers want to take forward rent controls in the Housing (Scotland) Bill, when we know that investors will continue to be put off investing in Scotland while that policy remains in place. The Deputy First Minister has been told that rent controls do not work, but ministers will press ahead with them regardless.

The Housing (Scotland) Bill has the potential to address some of the drivers of homelessness, such as those highlighted by Marie Curie in its briefing for the debate. There is little political disagreement on those but, fundamentally, we have a Housing (Scotland) Bill that does not contain any plans to build more houses. We simply cannot continue like this. We need leadership and a fresh approach. After 17 years in office, I know that it is difficult for ministers to say that they have failed but, in many cases, their policy decisions have negatively contributed to the situation that we now face in Scotland.

Ben Macpherson (Scottish National Party, Edinburgh Northern and Leith)

Will Miles Briggs give way?

Miles Briggs (Conservative, Lothian)

I am in my final 10 seconds.

Ministers have 18 months left to try to turn the situation around. They should take responsibility and address this national emergency. There are ideas across the chamber. It is time for ministers to understand that they have failed and to help to turn the emergency around.

I move amendment S6M-14719.2, to insert at end:

“, following repeated calls from charities and local authorities to take urgent action to alleviate rising cases of homelessness and to tackle Scotland’s affordable housing shortage; notes that homelessness in Scotland has climbed to its worst level in more than a decade, with over 40,000 applications, and that, out of the 33,619 households assessed as homeless, there were over 15,000 children recorded; recognises that housing is a wholly devolved issue that the Scottish National Party (SNP) administration has mismanaged and exacerbated through rent controls and financial mismanagement, such as cutting £200 million from the housing budget; believes that by working together with developers, local authorities and landlords, more houses could be made available to buy and rent across Scotland; acknowledges that the SNP administration’s cladding remediation scheme has yet to complete work on any affected properties in Scotland and has only spent £9 million of the £97 million given by the UK Government to fix unsafe cladding; understands that the Scottish Government has failed to provide financial support for residents living in properties built with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) that are at risk; notes that the SNP administration has presided over a collapse in the housebuilding sector, with a 17% decrease in all sector starts and completions in 2023-24; echoes the concerns expressed around land supply and the planning system, and that the Scottish Government has failed to produce a clear plan setting out how it will properly fund and implement the policies contained within the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), and calls on the Scottish Government to take responsibility by addressing this national emergency.”

Ariane Burgess (Green, Highlands and Islands)

Let us begin by remembering what a housing emergency means to people in Scotland. It is the lived experience of people being evicted from their homes because they cannot afford their rent. It is the collapse of rural and island communities because they cannot provide housing for families who want to live and contribute there. It is people making their bed on the side of the road.

In my region, I have been working with a family that has been stuck in temporary housing for two years because there is nothing suitable for their family’s special needs; a teacher who has a job but cannot find a home nearby and will have a lengthy daily commute; and a family that is urgently seeking suitable housing to accommodate the required care for one of their members, to allow them to be discharged from hospital and the family to be reunited.

Scottish Greens agree with the principle of declaring a housing emergency, but declaring a housing emergency is not enough. As I said five months ago, declaring a housing emergency must lead to collective action and shared responsibility to tackle the crisis, using all the means that are at our disposal.

It is therefore frustrating that Scottish Labour has once again brought to the chamber a debate using the rhetoric of a housing emergency without proposing any solutions. It is clear that at the root of this country’s housing emergency is the financialisation of our housing market. For too long, our economy has prioritised housing as investments to make money from, rather than homes for people and the bedrock of our communities. Calling a housing emergency while not proposing any changes to how we tax housing or fund public house building is disingenuous and plays politics with people’s lives.

During our time in government, the Scottish Greens raised the level of the additional dwelling supplement so that wealthy people buying second homes or extra investment properties would pay more tax to contribute to public services.

Graham Simpson (Conservative, Central Scotland)

Will the member take an intervention?

Ariane Burgess (Green, Highlands and Islands)

Raising the rate of ADS further would raise important additional funding, which could go directly into building more affordable homes. I urge the minister to seriously consider that as part of the upcoming Scottish budget.

Sue Webber (Conservative, Lothian)

Will the member take an intervention?

Ariane Burgess (Green, Highlands and Islands)

I do not have a lot of time, so I need to press on.

We recognise that that alone will not be enough to raise the substantial investment that is required to build more affordable publicly owned homes in communities up and down Scotland—homes that are vital to addressing the housing emergency.

Fergus Ewing (Scottish National Party, Inverness and Nairn)

Will the member take an intervention—an extremely helpful one?

Ariane Burgess (Green, Highlands and Islands)

Scotland’s capital budget was gutted by the previous Tory Government through wilful cuts and the gradual erosion that has been caused by record-high inflation rates. We are now £1.6 billion worse off than we were five years ago. That is seriously limiting our ability to build good-quality housing, as well as replace our schools and hospitals and invest in public transport.

If Scottish Labour is serious about tackling the housing emergency, it must commit here today to ensuring that the UK Labour Government fully restores our capital spend at the upcoming UK budget and commits to it rising in line with inflation in future years.

For months now, I have been working with stakeholders on a range of immediate solutions. We must have proper investment in the retrofitting and refurbishment of existing buildings to provide additional affordable housing.

Paul McLennan (Scottish National Party, East Lothian)

Will the member take an intervention on that point?

Ariane Burgess (Green, Highlands and Islands)

I will take an intervention from the minister. [Interruption.]

Paul McLennan (Scottish National Party, East Lothian)

I thank the member for taking an intervention. I welcome her contribution. I put on record my thanks to the Greens for stating in their amendment their suggestions and ideas in relation to the motion. I confirm that the Government is looking at the recommendations to see what is possible within the current financial settlement. I will work with all members who want to deliver for the people of Scotland. Again, I thank Ariane Burgess for her suggestions on how we tackle the situation.

Ariane Burgess (Green, Highlands and Islands)

I thank the minister for his intervention.

As I said, there must be proper investment in the retrofitting and refurbishment of existing buildings, which will help us with not only the housing crisis but climate emissions reduction, by providing safe, cosy homes for people.

For the price of one new build, we can bring three empty properties back into use. I would like the minister to consider that in the upcoming budget. It will mean properly resourcing councils and communities to do that. We do not have to reinvent the wheel; we have a tremendous track record. In Campbeltown in Argyll, a once dilapidated town centre has been transformed by the council into a thriving place. In Dumfries, the community has taken the lead in turning empty buildings into homes in the town centre.

A key part of making that work will be to properly fund empty homes officers in all local authorities, so that bringing back empty properties can happen at pace. We must also recognise that empty flats above commercial properties could be homes, which could help to bring life back to the heart of our towns.

The other part of accomplishing the retrofitting of our towns and villages is the development of traditional building skills across the country. If we are to do that properly, we must take the training closer to communities through the provision of a mobile training unit. Rural and island communities must continue to be supported in their leadership by maintaining the rural and island housing fund and the Scottish land fund, which have been game changers in making it possible for communities to provide critical housing.

However, the cost of building housing in rural areas is three times the cost in other parts of Scotland. For island communities, it is even more. That is why I propose piloting a microhousing building standard to explore the possibility of building more homes for single people who desperately need homes. Microhousing offers an affordable way to meet that housing need quickly and affordably.

Along with those actions, to address the housing emergency, we must also have a robust system of tenant protections.

Willie Rennie (Liberal Democrat, North East Fife)

I hope that no homeless people were watching the minister’s contribution earlier. I know that he is not listening to me, but he should listen to people who are homeless and desperate for a house. His speech was just one excuse after another. It was another explanation of why other people are to blame for this, even though his party has been in power for 17 years.

Paul McLennan (Scottish National Party, East Lothian)

I say to Mr Rennie that, of course, I listen to homeless people. One of the key issues for me is shared responsibility. The Scottish Government can do what it needs to do, but the financial context is an important part of that. I hope that, when it comes to the budget, Mr Rennie and his Liberal Democrat colleagues ask the UK Government to reverse the 9 per cent capital budget cut and the 62 per cent cut to financial transactions—and to look at local housing allowance, which has an impact on homelessness in Scotland. I hope that he will do that, because this is about shared responsibility.

Willie Rennie (Liberal Democrat, North East Fife)

Does the minister say that to his constituents who come to him desperate for a house? Does he go on about percentages? Does he go on about how other people are to blame—how Brexit this, how the UK Government that, and how even Wales is responsible somehow?

The minister needs to understand that this is a housing emergency. Since the Government agreed to declare the housing emergency, the situation has got even worse and the figures are even more depressing. The number of new starts has plummeted. The number of children in temporary accommodation is now more than 10,000, which is the highest that it has been since the minister’s party came to power. He should be ashamed of his Government’s record, but instead he invests more time in hunting for excuses as to why his Government has failed and why it is somebody else’s problem. That is the impression that I get, and I know that it is the impression of many people across the country.

It is heartbreaking. I have never seen the housing situation as bad as it is now. I have been in politics since 2006, and I initially represented Dunfermline. I thought that it could not get any worse than it was in Dunfermline at that point, but it is even worse now. Housing officers hold up their hands and admit that they cannot do anything—they have no options. How can that be the case? Imagine someone who is homeless and desperate for a house hearing that there is no hope of their getting a home and that they will be at the back of the queue if they have fewer than 100 points. That is embarrassing. This country should be much better than that. This Government should be much better than that. It should be open about its challenges and live up to its responsibilities, because it has contributed significantly to the problem.

Let us take the cladding investment point. We have a £97 million budget and the Government has spent £9 million. If we have the money, we should at least be getting on with that. The affordable housing budget has been cut by 37 per cent—it is down by £200 million. New starts for social housing are down, completions are down by 25 per cent, and new starts for all housing are down 17 per cent. We know the reason for that, but the minister does not want to admit it: it is the cumulative impact of his policies. It is not the individual policies themselves—we could argue the merits of each individual policy—but the cumulative impact, culminating in the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which is driving away investors.

The minister knows that, because he has been told. He has had meetings with the sector and he has been told that it has decided to invest elsewhere—in England, in Wales and in other parts of the world. The sector is investing there rather than here because of the rhetoric—it is “us and them”—and because of rent controls. Those factors are driving investment away, as are the national planning framework—it takes 62 weeks to get a major housing development through the process—the limitations in land supply and the new and proposed regulations, which it is estimated will cost an additional £30,000.

There is also the fact that the Government is considering going to the super-high standard of the Passivhaus. The minister knows that, as we have seen in East Dunbartonshire—it was reported just today—the cost of producing each of those individual houses is getting on for £500,000. Such houses are brilliant, but what about all the other houses that we could have built with that extra finance?

Shirley-Anne Somerville (Scottish National Party, Dunfermline)

Will the member give way?

Willie Rennie (Liberal Democrat, North East Fife)

Not just now. I am into my flow.

Of course, we should go for really good standards, but why on earth does the Government have to show off and go for super-high standards when we have to produce volume and get factory-built facilities? That is the effort that we should go for.

The minister might not have noticed, but there is a housing emergency. Lots of people are desperate for homes. I want the minister to respond significantly in his concluding remarks and address what is in his gift—the things that he could do right now. I want him to send a message to the private sector and private landlords that we cannot address the crisis without them.

We need the Government and private providers to work in partnership. Instead of having an us-and-them attitude, let us create a proper partnership to build the houses that we need, to a good standard, to make a difference and deal with the housing emergency so that I do not have tell my constituents that I have absolutely nothing for them because the Government has failed to respond with the powers that it has.

Annabelle Ewing (Scottish National Party, Cowdenbeath)

We move to the open debate.

Rhoda Grant (Labour, Highlands and Islands)

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests in relation to a small share that I have in a family home.

The whole of Scotland faces a housing crisis, but it can have a much wider impact on the community in rural areas, and not only on the people who are affected, because it leads to depopulation and communities disappearing. It also leads to economic decline. Employers are doing well and are crying out for staff, but young people have left those areas, so they no longer work in those businesses, and employers cannot import the labour that they need because of the lack of houses. We are going back to more tied houses, which is not good for any worker or community.

There is a lack of key workers in such areas. There is a lack of rural general practitioners. Hospitals are closing wards because of a lack of staff. We have seen that in Skye, which was in the headlines recently. I have been told by NHS Highland that it has no difficulty in recruiting people to Skye—who would not want to live there? However, none of the people it recruits can find a home there.

The Gaelic language is also being lost. Because people who speak Gaelic in their communities cannot find homes or jobs there and are forced out, the language is diluted.

In rural areas, waiting lists look smaller because the population is sparse and, therefore, numbers are smaller, but the situation is just as damaging. In Argyll and Bute, 3,290 people were on the housing waiting list as of November last year. There was a 28 per cent increase in homelessness, but the average house price in the area was seven times the average income. That is a common issue throughout the Highlands and Islands. The housing market is way beyond the means of the local population, and people are being forced out.

Highland Council requires 24,000 homes to be built in the next 10 years, because of the green freeport as well as the issues that I have outlined, but its historic debt means that 42 per cent of its revenue from council housing is just paying loan charges. That leaves little for keeping the housing stock in a fit state and far less for building the houses that we need.

The Scottish Government claims to have built more than 10,000 rural houses since 2016, but the response to a freedom of information request shows that it has delivered only 3,219 affordable rural homes in the Highlands and Islands region since 2017. The majority of those homes were built in the Highland Council area, including many homes within the city of Inverness, which is not rural. Argyll and Bute got 351 affordable rural homes, Orkney got 160 and Shetland got 147.

The Scottish Government’s definition of rural, for house building purposes, includes areas beside the Edinburgh and Aberdeen city bypasses and areas close to the centre of Inverness, as well as commuter towns just outside Edinburgh and Glasgow. For example, since 2017, 152 affordable so-called rural homes have been built in the city of Edinburgh, which is more than have been built in Shetland and is level pegging with Orkney. That is simply not right. There is, of course, a housing crisis in our cities, but rural areas cannot compete with the cost of building in cities, so already fewer rural homes are being built.

Shirley-Anne Somerville (Scottish National Party, Dunfermline)

I am listening very carefully to Ms Grant. The Government, Ms Grant and other MSPs who represent rural areas could encourage organisations, public bodies and others to take advantage of the affordable homes for key workers fund and the rural and islands housing fund, which provide support and have demand-led budgets. We can genuinely work together with NHS boards, private developers and landowners to see how we can address some of those challenges, because I take very seriously the point that Ms Grant has raised.

Rhoda Grant (Labour, Highlands and Islands)

Of course—I am doing that with local authorities in my area. The point that I am making is that it is simply deceptive for the Government to include city areas in rural house building targets and then pat itself on the back for building so-called rural homes in cities. That is simply not right.

The Scottish Government has promised that 11,000 homes will be built in rural areas. That represents 10 per cent of its house building target, but 17 per cent of the population live in rural Scotland. Again, rural Scotland is losing out in relation not only to the targets but to the areas that are designated as rural.

Paul McLennan (Scottish National Party, East Lothian)

The target is 10 per cent, but it is a demand-led programme, as the cabinet secretary touched on. Ten per cent is the minimum, and the cabinet secretary has offered to discuss the issue with the member.

Rhoda Grant (Labour, Highlands and Islands)

If the minimum of 10 per cent includes houses in urban areas, houses will be built in urban areas—of course—because it is cheaper.

In addition, planning legislation is designed for urban areas. It is almost impossible to build in rural areas, because pavements and other infrastructure must be built. That is simply not required in urban areas. Rural areas also face challenges with holiday homes and second homes, but the Government’s guarantee will ensure that houses are not built in rural areas.

The national housing crisis requires to be addressed, but the Scottish Government also needs to look at its policy framework. Its solution needs to be island proofed and must not disadvantage rural areas. The cost of building in rural areas is huge, so it is little wonder that the houses are being built in urban areas. There are no economies of scale in rural areas, because, in reality, a rural community will need only one or two homes in a village to meet local need. Highland Council estimates that the cost of building in rural areas is £400,000 per unit, but it can cost at least a quarter more just to ship the materials across to our islands on Government-owned ferries. Procurement regulations add to the cost, too.

Ironically, the Scottish Government’s rural and islands housing action plan includes a section called “Delivering the Right Homes in The Right Places”. The Government’s definition of rural does not align with that or, indeed, with any ordinary person’s definition of rural.

Annabelle Ewing (Scottish National Party, Cowdenbeath)

Ms Grant, you need to wind up.

Rhoda Grant (Labour, Highlands and Islands)

That is why the policy is working against rural areas and adding to depopulation. The Government needs to provide a degree of parity for rural areas and must reform its classification of rural housing. That will help to provide homes in rural areas.

Ben Macpherson (Scottish National Party, Edinburgh Northern and Leith)

I strongly believe that the quantity, quality, cost and affordability of housing is the social issue of our time. The statistics that we have heard make that clear and, as the representative of the most urban and densely populated part of Scotland, I have housing issues in our communities as part of my and my team’s daily work.

The impact on other public policy areas is also clear. I welcome the minister’s engagement on the challenges that we face in Edinburgh since he has come into post and the actions that he has taken.

Of course, whether it is Edinburgh, which has the most acute housing crisis in Scotland, or the rural parts of the country, or other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, it is important to remember that the housing crisis—it is a crisis—has been decades in the making and will be extremely complex to change. Because of the impact of international finance, the issue goes well beyond even the borders of the UK.

For some context to where we are, I will quote John Burn-Murdoch of the Financial Times , who wrote in January:

“Aside from the occasional blip, average house prices were roughly four times average earnings in the UK for 80 years between the 1910s and 1990s. This was a fixed characteristic of British society. Knuckle down, save for a few years and buy in your late twenties: simple. Then the ratio doubled”,

or increased by 100 per cent,

“in the space of a decade.”

That was in the 1990s. The last time the jump in prices was that high,

“cars had not yet been invented, Queen Victoria was on the throne and home ownership was the preserve of a wealthy minority.”

I quote that because all the issues that colleagues have rightly emphasised today stem from the challenge of how unaffordable it has become over the decades for people to purchase their own home.

We will all make our party-political points, but it has been disappointing to hear some of the remarks that have been made today. We need to share more of the responsibility. The Government is quite openly saying that it has done things that have made a positive contribution but it wants to do more, and here are the other things that it wants to do. For other parties to suggest that they have not been complicit in the crisis is just not correct. While some aspects of housing policy are devolved, the financial aspects are, of course, reserved.

The Truss impact is being felt in the cost. Brexit is a factor, as others have mentioned. The pandemic and the war in Ukraine are external factors, but they have made an impact on the ability to buy and the ability to build. There have been links to earnings and social security.

Miles Briggs (Conservative, Lothian)

The fundamental question for the two of us, who represent the city of Edinburgh is: why is the Scottish Government not asking why Manchester is seeing a huge increase in house building and Edinburgh is seeing it collapse? That is fundamentally the question that ministers and SNP members should be asking themselves today.

Ben Macpherson (Scottish National Party, Edinburgh Northern and Leith)

I regularly ask myself that important question, but there is also a context. As I was about to say, the issue is about more than just supply and demand in this whole scenario. I think that the question that Miles Briggs has raised is about how we increase the supply, particularly of build-to-rent properties. The Labour Party, which lodged the motion, was once upon a time enthusiastic about rent controls—in fact, it tried to compete with our Green colleagues to be the most enthusiastic about rent controls—and now it is arguing against them. [Interruption.] The problem with all of this is the party politics and the petty, sticking-plaster politics. Can we confront this really serious issue for our constituents with solutions and constructive dialogue? [Interruption.] The impact of the ability to buy on homelessness and on the cost of rents affects all our constituencies.

I have a briefing in front of me—others will mention it—about the things that Labour could have done. Labour has been in power in Edinburgh for 35 of my 40 years. I am sure that others will talk about the housing capacity that was sold off by the Labour and Liberal Democrat Scottish Executive. We could go into all of that, but what we need to do, more importantly, is think about the way forward.

I thought that the members who made points about solutions were the most helpful, and I am going to end with a few things that I want to emphasise as solutions to make a positive difference. First, in urban Scotland, we really need to think about the cost of land—others have mentioned it. The cost of land in urban Scotland is one of the primary factors behind why purchasing a home is so difficult.

As a Parliament, as we go into the next 25 years and enter this next chapter of devolution—perhaps we will not have 25 years of devolution because we might, of course, become an independent country in that time—

Rhoda Grant (Labour, Highlands and Islands)

Will the member take an intervention?

Annabelle Ewing (Scottish National Party, Cowdenbeath)

The member is bringing his remarks to a close.

Ben Macpherson (Scottish National Party, Edinburgh Northern and Leith)

—the ability to borrow will benefit any Scottish Government. We need more capital borrowing powers, particularly if we are going to see cuts to capital budgets for the Scottish Government.

Lastly, for my constituents—the Scottish Government is continuing to consider this—if the project in Granton, with its potential to provide affordable housing in Edinburgh, can be realised, that will make a massive difference. I urge ministers to please deliver the affordable houses that my constituents need in Granton.

Annabelle Ewing (Scottish National Party, Cowdenbeath)

When a member has the floor, it is that member who has the floor and not any other member who is sitting at the time. I wanted to clarify that rule in case it had escaped members’ attention.

Martin Whitfield (Labour, South Scotland)

It was interesting to be shouted at by Ben Macpherson, but it is always a pleasure to follow him.

I quote:

“The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

Those are the very powerful words of Maya Angelou in “All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes”.

“The ache for home lives in all of us”,

but today, in this country, we face a situation that is nothing less than a national disgrace—a housing emergency that the SNP Government has allowed to spiral completely out of control. Let us be absolutely clear that this is not just a housing emergency; it is becoming a housing crisis. We have heard about the homeless and those who live on the streets.

Given that a housing emergency was declared on 15 May—I say with respect that the Government did that only because it was backed into a corner—it is surely reasonable to expect the Government to provide an immediate adaptive response. It is not just the case that the Government has failed to do that; the situation has got worse. There is no excuse and no explanation, particularly for the number of children who are living in temporary accommodation under this—I quote this carefully—incompetent SNP Government.

Let us look at the situation for children and young people. In doing that, I remind those on the Scottish Government benches of the Government’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and of the consequences of failing to live up to them.

Families across Scotland, including those in East Lothian, are being forced to live in temporary accommodation for an average of 342 days. That is almost a year of instability in the short life of a child—a year of uncertainty. Some 10,000 children in Scotland are trapped in temporary accommodation, which is only slightly less than the combined capacity of all the primary schools in East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian. Imagine that—10,000 children without a secure home. That is the ache for a home that lives in all of us. Those 10,000 children are stuck in bed and breakfast accommodation.

Keith Brown (Scottish National Party, Clackmannanshire and Dunblane)

I thank Martin Whitfield for taking an intervention. If he does not want to acknowledge the Truss budget, the cost of living, the cuts to the capital budget and the cuts to financial transactions, will he at least admit the backlog that was caused by the fact that the Labour Administration—along with the Liberal Democrats—built only six council houses in eight years? You started this problem.

Annabelle Ewing (Scottish National Party, Cowdenbeath)

Speak through the chair. I call Martin Whitfield.

Martin Whitfield (Labour, South Scotland)

I am grateful for that intervention. Not one—not one—of the 10,000 children who are now living in temporary accommodation was even born at that time, and I would hazard a guess that those children were not yet even a hope for any of the families who live there now.

The SNP’s record on housing is, frankly, one of abject failure. The most vulnerable people in Scotland are paying the price for the incompetence. These children and families do not have the luxury of waiting for the SNP to get its act together. They need action, and they need it now.

Those children are completing their homework on a desk or on their knee on a bed that gives under their weight. Those children worry about having to be out of a room by 9 am on a Saturday because they are in temporary accommodation. That is the life that they face day in, day out. It is the ache for a home that lives in all of us.

The Government has admitted that there is a housing emergency but, rather than acting with urgency, its policies have fuelled the crisis.

Kevin Stewart (Scottish National Party, Aberdeen Central)

Will Martin Whitfield give way?

Martin Whitfield (Labour, South Scotland)

I am more than happy to give way to Kevin Stewart.

Kevin Stewart (Scottish National Party, Aberdeen Central)

As a former housing minister—and probably the housing minister who delivered more affordable homes than any other during the course of devolution, and who would have delivered more had it not been for Covid—I had great co-operation with housing ministers in Wales, who felt that they had the same impediment to delivery as I did, which was capital expenditure from the UK Government.

Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat, Orkney Islands)

Briefly, Mr Stewart.

Kevin Stewart (Scottish National Party, Aberdeen Central)

Does Mr Whitfield support increased capital expenditure to build more housing?

Martin Whitfield (Labour, South Scotland)

I am grateful for Mr Stewart’s contribution and I look forward to his speech.

In 2022-23, in East Lothian, 572 applications were assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness. That is 116 per 10,000 of population. Of the 947 people who were associated with those applications, 661 were adults and 286 were children, some of whom were babes in arms.

In 2022-23, there were 393 households in temporary accommodation in East Lothian—that is 80 per 10,000 of population, which is higher than the national average. Edinburgh, West Lothian, East Lothian and Midlothian have the first, fourth, sixth and seventh-highest homelessness rates in Scotland. Of those 393 households, 100 were households with children or pregnant women, and 150 children were in temporary accommodation.

I realise that time is short, and I am disappointed that I took so many contributions rather than interventions, so let me finish by saying that the people of East Lothian, the people of South Scotland and the people of Scotland deserve better. They deserve a Government that cares, acts and delivers real, affordable homes for those who are in most need.

Maya Angelou talked of the “ache for home” that

“lives in all of us”,

and tonight’s vote will confirm or refute that view across the chamber.