I will advocate for highest possible funding, says new Housing Secretary

Scotland’s new Housing Secretary has said she will “advocate for the greatest possible funding” for her new portfolio, but could not commit to passing on all UK Government funding to the sector.

Mairi McAllan took up the role on Wednesday – the same day she returned from maternity leave – as the First Minister upgraded housing to a standalone capital position.

The decision comes more than a year after the Scottish Parliament declared a housing emergency as a result of record homelessness figures, which worsened earlier this year.

It also comes as the Scottish Government could see a windfall from the UK Government after it announced a 10-year, £39 billion housing programme.

Shelter Scotland, one of the country’s leading housing charities, urged Ms McAllan to commit to passing on all extra funding sent to Scotland to the affordable housing budget.

Speaking to the PA news agency, the minister refused to make such a commitment.

“I need to have those discussions with my colleagues, not least my colleague Shona Robison,” she said.

Ms McAllan added that the increase in funding announced as part of the Chancellor’s spending review on Wednesday – and touted as £9.1 billion over the next three years – represents a 0.8% increase in revenue spending and 0.3% in capital, which will be key to the housing portfolio.

“I don’t automatically just get the consequentials of housing spend, particularly in capital when we’re talking about a 0.3% increase, that’s going to offset cuts being made elsewhere,” she said.

“Firstly, I will advocate for the greatest possible funding coming to my portfolio and I can guarantee stakeholders, including Shelter, I will do that,” she said.

“The second thing I would say is there’s calls for multi-annual funding, for having that certainty and the ability to plan into the future.

“That and the level of funding are things I’m going to be looking at and advocating strongly.”

While the minister said she was “proud” of the Government’s housing record, pointing to the number of homes built since the SNP took over in 2007, she said “there are things that need to be stepped up in order to rise to the challenges that we clearly are facing”.

Ms McAllan also enters the post as the Government Housing (Scotland) Bill is midway through its parliamentary passage, having cleared stage two last week.

But despite the Bill largely being the product of her predecessor as minister Paul McLennan, she stressed there won’t be sweeping changes to the legislation.

“As the individual who will be taking this through and finishing it at stage three, I’m still very much looking through all of its terms,” she said.

“But I would want to give people confidence that I’m of no mind to start changing the directions of things, but if I can see where improvements be made, I would be looking to do that along with parliamentary colleagues.”

Ms McAllan also voiced her support for one of the key measures in the Bill, the introduction of rent control areas.

The proposal would allow councils to designate certain areas where rents would be capped at the rate of inflation plus 1%.

In recent years, and particularly around the Housing Bill, the relationship between groups representing landlords and those on the side of tenants has descended into acrimony.

But Ms McAllan said she would aim to bring people on both sides together and strike the “finest possible balance”.