Housing Secretary to set out plans to tackle Scotland’s housing emergency

Scotland’s Housing Secretary is to set out her plans to tackle the housing emergency.

Mairi McAllan will today announce her plans to tackle the housing emergency with aims to end children living in unsuitable accommodation and spending long periods in temporary accommodation.

She will also share her proposals to support the housing needs of vulnerable communities and maximise growth and investment in Scotland’s housing sector.

The announcement of the plans will be Ms McAllan’s first parliamentary statement since being appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Housing.

She was has appointed Cabinet Secretary for Housing upon her return to government from maternity leave in June.

Commenting ahead of the statement, Ms McAllan said: “My driving mission since being appointed Cabinet Secretary for Housing is to support the government’s ambition to eradicate child poverty, by ensuring no children have to live in unsuitable accommodation or need to spend long periods of time in temporary accommodation. My plan marks a step change in achieving this.”

The Scottish Government declared a housing emergency in May 2024 during a Labour-led debate at Holyrood calling for the move.

in 2023, Argyll and Bute, City of Edinburgh and Glasgow City councils all declared housing emergencies.

Ms McAllan will share the steps the Government has taken since the emergency was declared and how it will be addressed going forward.

She said: “Despite the challenges of Brexit, austerity and the cost of living, we already have a strong record in affordable housing, having supported the delivery of 139,000 affordable homes since 2007 – 47% more per head than England, and 73% more than in Wales.

“Since we declared a housing emergency, we have taken 2,700 children out of temporary accommodation and into a permanent home, up to December 2024. Figures out today also show we have brought a record number of empty homes back into use this year.

“However, we must go further and faster. The plan I set out today will demonstrate how we do that – with direct and immediate action to tackle the housing emergency, strong support for vulnerable communities and significant action to create the optimum conditions for confidence and growth in our housing sector.

“My plan will deliver positive and lasting change and critical to its success will be private and public sectors working together to tackle the housing emergency.”