Shelter warns ministers against U-turn on housing emergency action plan

A leading homelessness charity has warned ministers against U-turning on a pledge to create a housing emergency action plan.

Shelter Scotland warned the Scottish Government risked “defying the will” of Holyrood if it does not bring forward the urgent strategy.

In May, ministers declared a national housing emergency, with every Holyrood party backing the motion following a Labour-led debate.

That motion included a commitment to develop the action plan, with Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville telling Parliament she would “go forward” with the plan.

However, in a written answer to Alba MSP Ash Regan, housing minister Paul McLennan said the Scottish Government would not “divert effort” away from the current strategy.

The housing to 2040 strategy sets out plans to deliver an additional 100,000 affordable homes up to 2031-32, with at least 70% of these for social rent.

It also includes legislative proposals offering better protections to renters.

But Alison Watson, director of Shelter Scotland, claimed the current strategies were “failing”.

She said: “Three weeks ago, every political party in the Scottish Parliament accepted there was a national housing emergency. MSPs backed a motion which promised to deliver an urgent action plan including ‘actions that will reduce the number of children stuck in temporary accommodation by the end of this parliamentary session’.

“Ministers have now indicated that they do not intend to follow through on that promise, defying the will of Parliament and risking all credibility on the issue.

“There are nearly 10,000 children in Scotland with nowhere to call home, record numbers are trapped in temporary accommodation, and local homelessness services are either broken or breaking under the weight of ever growing demand.

“The current strategy is failing and proposals like those in the Housing Bill will not come into force for many years to come.

“Parliament has told the Scottish Government it needs to act and act now. The Cabinet Secretary said she would act. They must think again and deliver on the promise they made.”

Mr McLennan’s response stated that there was “widespread” support for current plans, adding: “So rather than diverting effort to the creation of a new action plan, it is our intention to work at place in collaboration with partners to critically review and prioritise actions within these current plans.”

Mr McLennan said: “There is no U-turn in our commitment. We are working collaboratively across the housing sector to identify specific actions to address the current housing emergency. Only this afternoon, I met with the Housing to 2040 Strategic Board to agree how we can work together to respond.

“Housing to 2040 remains our key strategy that sets out a vision and roadmap to ensuring everyone has a safe, good quality and affordable home by 2040. That has not changed, however, we intend to review actions and priorities in the short term to respond to the housing emergency.

“I intend to provide Parliament with an update on the action we will take shortly.”