Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan will today set out her plans to
tackle the housing emergency, ending children living in
unsuitable accommodation and spending long periods in temporary
accommodation, support the housing needs of vulnerable
communities, including those escaping domestic abuse, and
maximise growth and investment in Scotland's housing sector.
Ms McAllan will use her first parliamentary statement since being
appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Housing to publish her Housing
Emergency Action Plan, which will encompass a clear commitment to
children, to social justice and to creating the optimum
conditions for investment in Scotland's housing sector.
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.
“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.”
